The King's Contest
by KindHeartedWriter
Summary: After a deadly plague hits Corona, Rapunzel and Eugene become the only members left of their families. The two are not the only ones who have lost loved ones. The king lost his wife and son, and hosts a contest for the remaining men of Corona to fight for the position of prince. Slight AU.
1. After the Plague

Chapter One

Father peeks out from the windows. "The snow is sticking."

Mother sneezes and all eyes dart to her. The plague had cleaned the streets and the last few untouched houses were becoming infected. People lost homes and families.

"Stay in bed," Father advised, his green eyes very calm but his voice was shaking. He was nervous. He didn't want anyone else to catch it.

"I wanted to see the snow," Mother starts to say more but she starts coughing. She covers it with skill, moving her elbow to her face.

"I'll get the bread," Father says and his eyes go to me. "Stay in bed as well, Flower."

"I feel fine," I smile, though it twists into a frown when I watch Mother shakily walk to the bedroom. "Can I start the tea?"

Father's tense face relaxes. "Thank you."

"I'll be right back!" I curtsey. Father smiles brightly and bows. We always pretended to be royalty. Father's the king, Mother's the queen, and I'm the princess. Our servants are my little kitten Pascal. Pascal seems the carry the genes of the Mendel household, having green eyes close to emerald.

He follows me out into the snow, despite me telling him to go back inside.

"You're going to get a cold, too, Pascal," I chide him like Mother chides me. Pascal only meows and strolls up to me, his fur bushed out to keep warm.

I make my hand into a fist and pound at the snow, spitting hair from my face. My hair is brown for the moment, as it always is in winter. It's funny how summer lightens hair, and darkens the skin. There's less sun in the winter when it snows, so my hair darkens to chocolate brown. It's gold in the summer, my father jokes about me being a sun flower's daughter because of the blond in it.

Pascal's fur changes to a light brown instead of the warm tawny it is now. Father's hair stays brown all year, and Mother's lightens to honey.

The Mendels are strange, sometimes I agree with the rumors that go around.

I feel a snowball hit me square in the back and I turn to see a group of young men and maidens laugh. They have shrunk in number, and I can't be happy. Some of them didn't make it to today; the plague claimed members of the group that never leaves me alone.

I force a smile, ignoring the hurt that fills my chest, and get to my feet, the pot now full of snow. Pascal's hiss no longer startles me. He doesn't like them either.

I struggle back to the house, my cloak doing little for my snow bitten hands. I forgot my mitts in the house by the stove. I'll sit by the stove after the tea boils to warm my hands.

Tea.

I am so cold. My breath, in a cloud in front of my pale face, billows out thickly. It's freezing outside and I hurry into the house.

The warmth of the fire reaches me as I walk toward the kitchen. Father fusses.

"Damn snow." I hear him growl.

"I thought the king doesn't swear!" I gasp in fake astonishment. Father whips around and then he relaxes. "Why so jumpy, your Highness?"

Father tries to relax his posture a little more. "I keep forgetting to lock the front door. Looters are roaming about."

"Still?" I place the pot on the stove. The people that are alive after the plague resort to stealing for the moment because they are too heart-broken to go back to work. At least, that's my reason for the looters.

"I talked to our queen earlier," Father says, but I don't hear him, not too well. My mind is on the looters.

"Oh?" I mumble.

"She," I hear Father's voice darken. "She thinks she's. . ."

The looters don't have to kill people. Father's best friend's brother was killed a month ago for defending his house from them. The looters are desperate, no longer caring for life because they lost their own when the plague arrived.

"How's Pascal?" Father asks and I jump, realizing that I had been lost in thought. Father's green eyes go to the tawny cat sitting by the fireplace.

"I don't know if cats can catch it," I say absently. The ice has turned to slush and I find a spoon. I whisk the ice, almost wanting to blow on it as if it would help it melt faster.

"Hope not." Father says, and then trying to joke, "we'd have to throw him out."

"He keeps the rats away," I pout, turning to Father, widening my eyes. "We can't."

"I'm kidding, Flower," Father pouts next. "Calm down."

We enter a duel, each trying to make the other one laugh. I pout, jutting out my lower lip, and then Father breaks into a crazy smile that makes his eyes crisscross and widen and I know I lost.

I break down into hysterical giggles and Father comes closer to me, making alternative versions of the face that made me lose.

"Stop it, stop it!" I gasp and cover my smiles. "I didn't lose!"

"Did to!" Father puts on a normal smile, and then he makes his eyes crisscross again.

At that moment, I hear Mother call for Father. Father's entire body stiffens. His green eyes darken and the smile leaves his face. He turns to look at me and he looks as if he wants to say something.

"Your Highness!" Mother then calls in a tone that makes Father's face drain of color. I watch him walk away from me, and into their room. He closes the door behind him.

I look at Pascal who is busy licking his cold paws.

Father has never acted that way before.

I turn to the melting snow and tell myself everything is fine.

* * *

><p>Father comes back out an hour later, and pulls me to Mother's room without a word.<p>

Mother lies on the bed, her eyes going straight to me.

"Darlin'," the soft way she spoke and the way her eyes gaze at me intently makes me scared. "Come here."

I obediently go to her side and grab her unscarred hand. Touching Mother was forbidden once Mother got it. Father says nothing, and I try to understand what's happening.

Her emerald eyes peer at mine. "I'm sorry, dear."

I don't understand.

"Why?" My voice breaks, and I whisper, "What's going on?"

"God's calling," Mother blinks and a lone tear falls onto her cheek. My eyes zoom in on the tear while I try to process her words.

"Mother," I mumble to her, "Mother, you can't."

"I have to, baby," Mother sniffles and her other hand goes to my hair. Her wrist is scarred but the palm of her hand is smooth when it goes to my face. "I'm sorry."

"Don't leave us." I cry, and the tears appear out of nowhere, blurring my vision. I blink them away furiously, trying to see her face. "Don't leave us."

"Flower," Mother says Father's nickname for me. "I love you, Flower."

I lay my head onto her chest, sobbing. "Mother, please."

Her hand on my cheek wipes the tears away.

The motion brings back memories, some long forgotten and some very recent. Mother smiling at me as I fell in a snow drift, Mother handing me a baby Pascal dressed with a little white ribbon around his neck, Mother and Father dancing in the middle of flower beds as summer warmed our skin and Pascal and I played.

Mother kissing me 'goodnight', Mother teaching me how to waltz, and then laughing when I knock her down. Mother teaching me how to braid my hair, Mother begging me not to cut it, Mother's green eyes when she addressed me as the princess she and Father called me.

Mother saying 'goodbye'.

I look up at her, and squeeze her hand.

"I love you," I mumble to her, and her eyes light up, like they always did. Like they used to before the plague.

Something changes in her face and her hand squeezes mine once.

"I love you, too, Princess." She smiles. "Flower Princess."

Father's hand goes to my shoulder. He knows what's coming and I don't.

"I will love you two," her eyes go to Father. "I will love you two forever."

It's at that moment when I notice the tearstains on her cheeks.

"So long, your Highness," she looks at my Father when she says it.

Her eyes go blank as she addresses me. The light is still there but my Mother is leaving.

"So long. . . Princess. . ." Her voice dies away and then the light is gone too.

It's at that moment when I realize that now only two people are breathing.

My mother is gone.

"You can't go." I say to her body firmly, and then a pain so unfamiliar stings my heart, flooding into every limb. I start to scream. "You can't go! You can't!"

Father's arms go around me and he pulls me away from Mother.

I scream and cry. "Don't go! Don't leave me! Mother, you said you could do it! You said you were fine!"

"Flower, Flower," Father coos in my ear and I ignore him, my eyes only on Mother's face. Somehow, Father knew. He knew, and he didn't tell me.

I don't care. I just want her back.

"Come back to me! Come back to me!" I struggle with Father.

My cries break the silence her death made.

"Mother, no! Mother, no, Mother, no!"

* * *

><p>Father gets it, too. He shuts me away from him.<p>

I make him tea and leave it at the door after knocking. I hear him rasp, "Thank you, Princess."

When I hear only silence, I enter Father's room to see Father writhing on the bed. I scream and hurtle myself on the bed with him, trying to grab his muscles and still them.

Father never let me see Mother have these.

When it is over, Father's in tears.

"I didn't want you to see that," Father whispers to me, his green eyes on my face.

"It's okay, your Highness," I say soothingly, though I want to be soothed. "The princess can't be unaware of what happens."

Father says nothing else, only pull me to him and breathe the other way.

"I love you, Princess," Father says suddenly.

I snuggle into him, almost wanting to have what he and Mother caught.

"I love you, too, Father."

It's the one and only time in my life I never called him, 'king'.

* * *

><p>It's when the snow falls for the third night in a row, a week after Mother, that I lose Father, too.<p>

Pascal and I do nothing, only sit on the bed.

Father and me and Pascal. The three of us had buried Mother together.

Pascal and me. We have to bury Father together.

I pull Pascal to me, and cry into his fur.

* * *

><p>The next two days pass by in a tearful blur.<p>

My hands and Pascal are the only thing that keep me aware of reality. Pascal cries for food, and my hands scream for relief from digging.

Pascal gets his dinner, but my hands do not get relief.

When Father's next to Mother, I find two sticks and bind them together with twine. I make a cross, not for religion, but for me. I want to go outside and know where their bodies are. Father did it for Mother, I do it for him.

I cry over their bodies and silently demand why I lost them so quickly.

I demand why the plague arrives and steals lives.

I demand for my king and queen to return.

* * *

><p>Something crashes in the house.<p>

Pascal and I shoot out of the bed and stagger down the hallway.

"Who's there?" I shouted and grab the one weapon I have, a long piece of their bed. I had to destroy it for firewood and because the memories haunted me. Pascal and I sleep in my room now.

I storm down into the house to see a young man digging into the cupboards. I scream at him and he turns around, shock on his face. It changes into recognition when he sees me, which is strange because I don't know him.

We both stand still, gazing at each other.

He's handsome, with facial hair only on his chin. He has broad shoulders and dark brown hair that falls into his eyes and around his neck. He doesn't look too big, but his biceps are tight and strong in the cotton sleeves that cover the rest of his arms.

"What are you doing here?" I have to summon my nerve. A looter is one thing. A looter that's a man is something else. I wish I had brought my cloak so I could cover myself. I'm in my nightgown.

He stands still, not speaking.

"I said, 'what are you doing here'." I demand.

His face changes and darkens with sadness.

"I don't know what to do," he mumbles and to my surprise, he holds his hands up and walks slowly to me. I nearly take a step back but tell myself that he seems to be on the defense. "I don't have any other ideas. I'm sorry."

I glare at him, unsure what to say. He's yards from me now.

"You were going to steal from me," I accuse.

He nods, ashamed. Pink floods his fair skin, and I nearly blink at the sight of it. His eyes are light brown, almost hazel.

"Why?" It's a terrible question, but I ask.

He looks at me, meeting my eyes though he's taller than me.

"I lost my family." He said, and then he gestures around. "And it looks like you've lost yours, too."

"Not all of it," I glance down at Pascal.

The man smiles. "Same here." He then whistles and my eyes widen when a dog, I think it's a dog, stalks in from around the corner of one of the kitchen walls.

The dog has thick white fur, tinged with gray, and brown eyes. He looks more wolf-like, with an angular jaw and slightly spaced, pointed ears. His tail is definitely wolf-like, a bushy long mass of white-gray fur.

"That's Maximus." The man introduces him. Maximus looks at Pascal and makes no move to eat him.

"And you are?" I turn my wide eyes back to the man, the looter.

The man doesn't smile.

"To those I steal from, I'm Flynn Rider." He says. He lives two lives?

I stiffen. "Are you still going to steal from me?"

"No. We've met before." He says, and it confuses me. "You know my name."

I try to think of where I could have seen him. I can't think, though. My mind keeps going back to my king and queen, to my late parents.

I glare at him, now on the offense. I hold up my weapon, threatening. "I don't know you."

"Of course you do," Flynn Rider says, and then his hand goes to my weapon. He grabs it, and slowly takes it from me. It falls to the floor, and Pascal, usually easily startled, doesn't flinch.

Flynn Rider leans into me, and I nearly lean back. When had he gotten in front of me?

He whispers. "Checkmate."

It all comes back in a flash.

I used to play chess all the time outside in the spring up to autumn. No one left me in peace, only bothered me and harassed me with anything they could throw at me. I hated it, but endured it with a smile. Rumors went around, and never stopped, about the Mendels. About my king, my queen, and me.

One day, after the groups had finished with the taunts, a young man left the already leaving group to play with me. He had waved them away, insisting that they didn't know anything. He had found me in tears and offered to play with me.

He had made them all bother me a little bit less, but I saw him more and more after that. He played with me often, up until the coldest day in autumn that announced winter.

And then the plague arrived.

"Eugene?" I whisper.

Eugene smiles faintly. "We were best friends in the spring, Rapunzel," he calls me by my name.

"A spring friendship finds itself buried in the winter," I murmur and Eugene frowns.

"You weren't so negative."

"I had everyone, once upon a time," I sniffle.

"Me too," he sighs, and his eyes go to our companions watching us. "Danger's over, Pascal."

Pascal says nothing, only pads to the fireplace, his fur bushing out. He's unused to company. It had only been me and him for long time.

Eugene looks at me.

"Nothing will ever be the same again," he voices what I think.

I pull away from Eugene, and walk to Pascal, crouching down to pet him behind the ears.

"Before the plague, everything was fine." I sigh. Eugene and Maximus come up behind me.

"After the plague, everything was ruined." My eyes go to the wall, to where my king and queen are buried.

_Nothing will ever be the same again._


	2. Makeshift Bed

Chapter Two

Eugene goes home after a short while. The silence that lapses over the two of us is awkward. We're too sad to try to fill it in with a conversation. When he leaves, I wish for his return tomorrow. He doesn't say when he'll be back. He just nods at me and he and Maximus walk out into the snow.

It's dark when he leaves, around dusk. The sun's light had died around late afternoon, but at dusk the sky looks like it is midnight.

I sit around with Pascal when Eugene leaves. I feed Pascal and try to brush his fur the wrong way, just to give him something to do. While Pascal aggressively licks his fur the correct way, I settle on my bed with an old tale of love and lose myself in the words.

* * *

><p>I wake up with Pascal so close to my face that I nearly sneeze.<p>

"Mornin'," I mumble and sit up. My hair is all over the place. I brush it back with my hands and comb through it lazily, waking up slowly. I look around my room and climb off the bed.

I leave my light cream walls behind and walk into the living room. There's no sign of Eugene or Maximus anywhere.

In the kitchen, I make a quick break feast of cold bread and fresh melted snow in a cup. Pascal nibbles on a freshly caught mouse by my feet. He must have caught it before he sat on my face because the mouse's fur appears damp with melting snow.

"At least your food is warm," I murmur aloud, thinking of what the mouse tastes like. Maybe a little like chicken? It doesn't look good, but I wasn't a cat. . .

* * *

><p>At dinner, I find Pascal eating yet another mouse.<p>

I turn back to the stove-

A knock on the door startles me.

I hurry to the door, wondering if I should bring my piece of wood. I shake my head at myself, and my hand goes to the doorknob. I prepare myself for any sort of situation - a heavy object flying to my head, someone knocking me down trying to loot the house, a man pinning me to the wall- and turn the doorknob, opening the door.

Eugene stands in the threshold, weak sunlight shining down on his figure from behind. I blink when I see his attire, and what he's carrying. Eugene's dressed in a thick wool dark cream jacket with a fur-lined hood. His brown bucket top boots are covered in snow, and the hood is off of his head though he's wearing some sort of ear covering. The ear covering is made of two thick balls of fluff connected by a fluffy rope. The ends of Eugene's dark cream pants that match his wool jacket are tucked in his boots and I blink down at Eugene's items.

It looks like a suitcase, only made of soft leather instead of wood. I step aside to let Eugene in, seeing the redness of his face and nose. I feel fur brush past my legs and see Maximus follow Eugene inside.

I peek my head out of the threshold, taking a step outside in the snow, and look around, hoping no one followed Eugene. I see no one and close the door.

Eugene's still standing in the cold foyer, and I shoo him into the kitchen. "Sorry, um, you can go to the kitchen. It's warmer there."

Eugene smiles, sniffling, and Maximus follows his master into the warm kitchen. I take a second to feel gratitude that I had gotten dressed this morning, though it's not warm attire. I'm only wearing a light pink cotton dress that reaches my knees and soft slippers made of wool.

I make myself busy by preparing Maximus and Eugene a cup, well, a bowl for Maximus, of fresh peppermint tea. I grind the peppermint into little chunks and boil water on the stove. I pour the two ingredients into their cup and bowl, and stir quickly, adding sugar. When it's ready, I turn around only to find Eugene right behind me.

"Here you go," I say, handing Eugene his cup. I find Maximus, sitting adorably close to Pascal, and set the bowl in front of him. "Drink up."

Eugene takes a seat at the table and I join him, fetching him a plate of cold bread. "Sorry about the bread. I'd heat it up, but um. . ."

"It's fine, thank you," Eugene's deep voice makes something in me grow warm. I'm glad to have someone else to talk to.

"How was your day?" I say, and then add awkwardly, "morning, I mean?"

"I fell in a snow drift." Eugene mumbles, his light brown eyes going to my face as I nibble on my bread. "It wasn't really a high point of my day."

"I just realized what Pascal was eating," I say, gesturing to my cat who was beginning to clean his whiskers. "I hope he's the one who will throw it out."

Eugene smiles a bright smile. "I could do it for you."

"No, that's okay," and then I think of something. "He'll have to eat the next one outside. I hear that's how it started."

"The fleas?" Eugene looks at Pascal and then at Maximus.

"I heard that, yes." I don't like the distress that begins to make Eugene's red cheeks turn rose red. "But they're not scratching, so we're fine."

Eugene's mouth closes, and he clicks his tongue a few times. "Okay." He says, and then unconvincingly adds, "If Max catches anything, I'll throw him out."

I say nothing because I can already see the pain forming in his eyes at the thought of doing so. I put my hand on his hands on the table. Of what he has, the thick coat, the ear covering, and the boots, Eugene has no gloves. "Your hands are cold."

"I lost my gloves in a raid," Eugene says, and then he looks at me sullenly, "someone took them."

I say lightly, "Serves you right," and rub his hands against mine fiercely. For a little bit, there's nothing other than the sound of two people and two animals breathing. Eugene sinks back against his chair, and I notice the dark circles under his closed eyes. Pity fills me as I think of the unwanted sleep I've been getting, and the restless sleep Eugene probably suffers through every night.

"Hey," I say gently, and shake him. He rouses slowly, his light brown eyes opening. I see that somehow he has fallen asleep sitting up. "Why don't you sleep by the fireplace?" I don't know if it is lit, but I know how to light it. Father made sure to teach me how.

I get up from the table before Eugene can protest and hide my tears with my hands. I walk to the living room and grab the poker. My emerald eyes survey the wood and I'm pleased to see that the fire is still ablaze from the night before. I poke the wood and the flames blaze hotter, warmer.

I stand back up, setting the poker where it belongs, and glance back at the table. Eugene has fallen asleep again. This time, I ignore his sleeping body and head to the linen closet in the middle of the house. It's right by the guest washroom, and I remind myself to offer to wash Eugene's clothes.

I dig around for warm comforters and find Mother's pale sky blue comforter. I freeze and my hands gently hold the folded mass of pale sky blue. I lean my head down to sniff it, and I feel a small thrill when I smell Mother's perfume on it. There's more of her perfume, in her bottle on her vanity that I haven't touched. Going in Mother's and Father's room hurts, but when had I washed their bedspread?

I hear a meow and look down to see Pascal. He claws at the wall and I crouch down, holding out the blanket. "You still smell our queen?" I ask him, my voice thick because I'm trying not to cry.

Pascal meows again and buries his head in the blanket. The sight makes a tear fall and I hurriedly wipe it. I use my free hand and pat Pascal's head, and then I stand up to find more comforters.

I walk back into the living room and lay out the comforters on top of each other in layers. I remove pillows from the plush, slightly damp loveseat, and put them near the top of the layered comforters. It's a makeshift bed. I'd let him sleep in mine, but those few months I had known him, we were friends, best friends he said, and nothing more.

I shake Eugene at the table again. "Eugene, I made you a bed."

Eugene yawns, his eyes opening slowly. He still looks exhausted. "You did?"

"Mh-hm," I hum in confirmation. I help him out of his seat, not because he's incapable, but because he still looks half-asleep. I steer him to the makeshift bed and lay him down. He kicks off his boots and shrugs out of his jacket. I lay both items on one of the loveseats and take his offered ear covering. I take a second to marvel at them.

"Ear muffs." Eugene's voice, a little more awake, startles me. I look at him, turning pink.

"What was that?"

Amusement enters Eugene's sleepy eyes. "They're called ear muffs."

"Oh," I hum in fascination. I place them on his jacket and grab the poker to stir the fire a bit more. "Are you warm?"

"The fire's nice, yes," Eugene says, and I turn to see him get more comfortable on the bed I made for him. Maximus settles at the foot of the bed and I smile when I see Pascal tentatively pad up to the wolf-like dog and curl beside him.

"I'll be in my room, right over there," I point and Eugene nods, though his eyes never saw where my hand pointed. Eugene's eyes are closed, and within seconds, I see his chest begin to heave slower.

He's knocked out cold.

I smile, a sight he wouldn't see, and put the poker down on the mantle of the fireplace. I walk to my room, leaving Pascal, and pull out the same book from earlier yesterday.

Somehow, I fall asleep reading the words.


	3. Bad News

Chapter Three

I'm being shaken awake.

"Hmm?" I mumble sleepily, my eyes slowly opening. I blink when I see Eugene looming over me, and I realize he's on my bed. He's shouting my name and I mumble louder. "What is it, Eugene?"

Eugene stops shaking me and begins to explain. "A messenger came by this morning. He's been stopping at every house. There's a gathering at the square and the king's ordered for everyone well and alive to attend."

His words sink in fully when I sit up and rub sleep out of my eyes. Eugene sits on the bed so his feet rest on the floor.

"Everyone well and alive?" I echo Eugene's words.

Eugene's light brown eyes meet my gaze. "No one sick, and obviously no one dead."

I nod, somber, and look at Eugene, who is in his coat from yesterday. "I'm guessing the fire went out?"

"Yes," Eugene says, and he pulls me to my feet after he gets to his. "We've got two hours to be there. The messenger says it starts at noon."

I nod again, and head to the living room. I'm still in the clothes from last night, so I'm not in my nightgown. I don't know whether to light the fire or not, so I prepare break feast while trying to think of a solution. I've come up with nothing when I set the table.

I look for Eugene and find him in the guest washroom. I sit at the table waiting for him, my eyes going to Pascal and Maximus eating side-by-side. Pascal and Maximus are sharing a meal of bread, and I don't find any mouse bones in the kitchen. Eugene must have thrown them out.

"Thank you," I say when he walks to the table.

He smiles. "I made sure to wipe it down more than once." He joins me at the table. "Thank _you_ for making me a meal once again."

I smile, blushing. "No problem."

We eat in silence, and then I ask, "Is it a formal affair?"

"No," Eugene says, and then he smiles darkly. "I think the king just wants to see who made it."

"Oh," I hum, an unsure response. Eugene peeks at Maximus, and mutters under his breath. "What?"

"He hates cats." Eugene says, sipping his steaming peppermint tea.

I smile. "Pascal must be special."

"Indeed," Eugene hums, and then his lips are hidden by a tea cup.

He kindly does the dishes when we finish and I busy myself with pulling on warm clothes. I find a cotton blouse and put a deep green bodice with matching skirt over it. I pull on knee-length cotton stockings and fur-lined boots. My bodice is laced with dark green, and the cloak I pull on is dark brown, lined with white fur on the hood. I wish for a pair of those mysterious ear muffs, and instead pull on a wool hat on top of my chocolate brown hair.

I walk out of my room and walk to the front door. I smile when I see Eugene, Pascal, and Maximus standing by the door in the foyer. I hold up a pair of gloves for Eugene. "Here."

He takes them gratefully. "Thanks," the gloves are my Father's. They are darker than Eugene's dark cream jacket and pants and his hands disappear in them. He smiles, his eyes going to the door. "They're warm already."

"Yes, well," I say simply and wrap a scarf around Pascal's neck since he insists on coming with us. "Are you ready?"

"Whenever you are," Eugene holds the door open for the three of us.

I walk past him, catch a whiff of his familiar spicy cologne, and hope he doesn't see me blush.

* * *

><p>The walk to the square was pleasantly short, but bitterly cold.<p>

My nose has gone numb and I sniffle repeatedly. I can feel the paleness in my face and I force my numbing feet to take more steps. We're early, I think, but the crowd is thickening as we arrive.

I feel someone poke me and I turn my head to the left, smiling when I see Alyson Sparrow, one of my very few friends. She's shivering, her light brown hair hidden in a wool cap. Her gray eyes light up when she sees Pascal by my side.

She puts a gloved hand on my shoulder and says nothing.

I nod at her. _I'm glad you made it, too._

I look to my right to see Eugene being greeted by friends, and I wave at him when he looks back at me. He smiles back, a tiny little thing, and walks off to his friends when one pointed off into the crowd. He waves, and then he's gone.

I turn to Alyson. "Is your. . .?"

She nods and grief fills her eyes. My arms capture her in a hug. Her parents have passed. "I'm sorry, Aly."

Alyson sniffles. "It's okay."

_No, it's not._ I think bitterly, and then I bend down to scoop up Pascal. Alyson takes the offered cat and smiles, her eyes on his bushed out tawny fur.

"I missed you, too," she laughs when Pascal manages to lick her nose. The crowd around us is busy, everyone is trying to find familiar faces. Now I see why we had to be here early. Though there's at least thirty minutes before noon arrives, everyone wants to find their friends.

Alyson puts Pascal down and grabs my hand, tugging me into the crowd. "Ellie's been looking for you."

Ellie is Alyson's little sister; she's younger than Alyson by a year. "Oh, really?"

"Of course, Rapunzel. She missed you." Alyson leads me near the back of the crowd. I see Ellie sitting on the snow, and I scowl at her.

"Aren't you cold?" I ask Ellie.

Ellie shakes her head, and her gray eyes go to her sister. "I'm hot." She must be, I see sweat on her forehead.

"You're mad, Ellie," Alyson says fondly, but there's pain in her eyes. I look around.

"Where's Piers?" I ask, and the two of them stiffen.

"Piers is around, somewhere," Ellie says her next words darkly, "he's looking for his friends. What you should be asking is 'where's your folks'? They're dead, Rapunzel."

"Ellie-" Alyson starts.

I interrupt. "I know about them, Ellie. Alyson told me." She hadn't told me using words, but. . .

Ellie's hand goes to her belly, and I understand why she's hot now. "I just found out a week ago." She whispers. "How can I bring a baby into this world?"

I know her wedding ring is on her ring finger in her gloves. Piers and Ellie became official years ago, and tied the knot last summer. Now Ellie's with-child after the plague. . .

"The plague is gone," Alyson murmurs to us, but she knows we can all only hope. "The baby won't be infected when he gets here."

Ellie tries to nod in reassurance but I can see the tears budding. I pull Ellie off of the snow and capture her in a hug. I want to cry, for her tears, and for their lost parents, but my eyes burn from the icy wind and sting from the tears. I blink, and a few fall. It's all I can manage for right now. I'll break down at home.

The three of us cling to each other and stand in the back of the crowd. Ellie's still in tears, not sobbing, and Alyson looks upset. A loud noise rang out, and I dimly recognize the sound of the bell being rang. In the middle of the square, there is a huge bell that lies on a wheeled table. When the bell is not by the fountain, there are usually no announcements to be made.

When the plague first arrived, the bell had been by the fountain for weeks, and then the snow buried it. Alyson and Ellie start to break through the crowd and I follow them, feeling the crowd merge back behind us.

When I'm close to the front, I stop following the Sparrows and peek around heads. The king is standing by the bell, next to a man I don't know. The man is dressed in gold robes and I realize that he is the new announcer.

The king looks miserable in his gold attire. His eyes are etched with dark circles and I see that his hands are shaking. His shoulders are slumped with grief, and as more people notice this, misgivings spread throughout the cold crowd in anxious whispers.

Ellie's in front of me and I see her stiffen. I look around the tense crowd and then my eyes go back to the king. Who was it?

The announcer, an aged man, speaks. "The queen," he says, and then he pauses to lower his head. The crowd cries. I feel pain make the unshed tears finally fall. The queen had been very kind. I had never known her, not personally, but she made an effort to visit every household during the summer months.

She had been beautiful, her amber-brown eyes shiny and bright while her dark hair added to her mysteriously heated appearance. She had smiled at me after meeting Mother and Father.

"Don't believe what you hear," were the only ones she had ever spoken to me. Her voice had been soft, musical even. She was the only queen I had ever known, and the best. I would miss knowing that she was no longer with us. The king would rule alone, but he still had-

The announcer interrupts our cries with a loud ring of the bell.

We all fell silent.

"The prince," the announcer starts, but the crowd doesn't hear the rest. Everyone starts wailing and I see women faint dead away. I put my hands to my face and cry.

The crowd's cries fill my head and I wail with them. I hadn't fallen for the prince like many of the young maidens around me had, but the king had lost both his wife and son to the same disease that had robbed many of us our families. I wail for his lost.

When the announcer shushes us again, everyone's a mess. The women that are regaining their senses awake in tears, the news fresh on their arousing minds. The men look teary-eyed and I glimpse Eugene wiping his eyes on his sleeve. We were all lost.

The announcer began to speak. "There is t-t-to be a-another gathering a w-week from now. A-All are r-r-required to c-c-come to it, if you are well by that time." He's trying not to wail like the rest of us. The heavy gust of cold ice hasn't let up. The tears on my face begin to burn, searing my cheeks.

The king spoke, and everyone leans forward eagerly. "I-I," his lips have turned blue, "I'm sorry to give you all such bad news."

Someone cries, "Your Highness, thank you for telling us!"

The words spread through the crowd like wild fire, and we all echo the person's words. "Your Highness, thank you for telling us! Your Highness, thank you for telling us!"

The king manages to smile, and it sets off more wails. King Christopher looks tired and lost and very sad but he still tries to smile. We had never had a better king. I wish Father and Mother were here to see him smile for his grieving kingdom.

"Thank you all for coming," the king says, though his tired eyes roam the crowd and I can see him counting heads.

I follow his eyes and see that the crowd has shrunk by half. I bit my lip to hold back the tears and everyone, including me, wave at the king when he and his announcer turn away. The falling ice is frozen, and it catches in our hair.

The crowd slowly dissipates after their leave. I hug Ellie once more. "You can come over any time you need to."

Alyson nods, and I see her lips have turned blue as well. We've all stood out in the snow too long. "Same for you, Rapunzel. We've got Piers with us. You should come over today."

I think to Eugene. "Eugene's with me."

Curiosity fills the eyes of the Sparrows. Ellie only mumbles, "Don't give in." I nudge her with my elbow and she smiles, a little sad. "You don't want a baby around now, Chocolate." She says my nickname, referring to my hair.

"He's hardly thinking about babies," I say, and then add, "we're just friends."

Alyson nods while Ellie looks unconvinced. Ellie shrugs and then shivers. "Now I'm cold." Her lips have turned blue as well. I can assume mine are blue, too.

The Sparrows live across two roads from my house. It easily takes ten minutes to reach them. I nudge Ellie again, this time with affection. "Stay warm, Ellie."

"Yes," Ellie murmurs, and I see softness in her eyes and realize she's thinking of the baby. "You, too."

I smile tightly and wave the Sparrows 'goodbye'. I scoop up Pascal from the snow and kiss the top of his head. "Come on, Pascal."

We begin to walk away from the crowd.

I hear my name and turn to see Eugene and Maximus trotting to us. Eugene waves me over, and shivering, I walk the last few steps to close the distance between us.

"There's a rumor going around," Eugene says and I go stiff, thinking about if he's heard the rumors about my family. "A rumor about the next gathering."

I relax and tip my head to the side. "What about it?"

Eugene's lips are blue and he licks them. His breath billows in front of me. "Some sort of contest, I hear."

"A contest for what?" I try to smile but I can no longer feel my lips too good.

Eugene shrugs at that, and looks at Pascal in my arms. "Max would never let me pick him up."

"He's a dog." I say matter-of-factly, and then add, "Pascal used to hate me grabbing him," Pascal is purring in my arms. His emerald eyes gaze at Eugene and his long tail is close to his nose.

Eugene rolls his eyes. "Are you strictly a cat person?" We begin walking back to the house, away from the square.

"No. I like dogs." I say, and glance down at Maximus. "He looks like a wolf, though."

"His fangs are long and painful," Eugene says and I start laughing though every time I inhale air, it burns my lungs. "He's part wolf. His father was a wolf and his mother was a dog."

"That explains the tail," I say and Eugene chuckles beside me.

* * *

><p>When we get back to the house, it is nearly pitch black.<p>

I scramble through the dark, finding a candle. Maximus growls when we sit around the house. Eugene goes on high alert.

"What is it, Max?" He asks, and I hear a creak behind me. It's one of the old floorboards by my parents' bedroom.

The idea of a looter in my house near my parents' bedroom makes me angry. I open my mouth to shout, but Eugene sees me in the candlelight and his hands goes to my mouth. He slowly takes the candle from me, and his light brown eyes appear dark hazel in the gloom.

He whispers, "Shush."

I nod obediently though my hands itch. I want to knock the looter senseless.

We slowly walk to the living room from the kitchen; Eugene pauses by the fireplace to grab the poker. Eugene hands me the candle.

Whatever it is, it's not supposed to be here. Pascal's a bushy, tawny mass of fur beside me. He's crouching low, ready to pounce.

Eugene looks at me and mouths, "One. . ."

I look at Maximus and see him looking similar to Pascal, fangs bared and tail coiled.

"Two. . ."

We edge toward my parents' bedroom.

"Three!" Eugene shouts and we hurtle ourselves into the bedroom.

There's a loud crash, and a shout. The candle somehow goes out in the darkness, and I'm knocked down. I land on something hard and my head snaps back. I scream, the sound cut off when my head collides with whatever I fell on, and then I hear Maximus snarl.

Something crashes again and I hear frantic shuffling and then someone groans. I try to sit up but my head hurts too much. The air is freezing from us being gone so long and the fireplace unlit for hours. The warmth in my body seems to run out of me as my chest heaves and I struggle to see.

Everything goes quiet.

"Eugene?" I whisper.

There's the sound of more shuffling and then someone glows beside me with a loud ripping sound. I squint and make out Eugene looming over me once again. He holds the lit match to the candle and worry fills his eyes.

"Rapunzel?" He says slowly.

"Yes?" I say, and try to sit up. Eugene helps me. "What happened?"

"He got away," Eugene says, angry. His eyes look at my face. "You're bleeding. I'll find something."

I let him go, but I'm praying for his quick return because I suddenly realize why a young woman can't be alone in her house after the plague. Eugene comes back, holding bandages and gauze. He brushes back my hair and wads up a strip of gauze; he gently pushes it to my head and I try not to wince.

"I must have scratched it on the bedpost," I say, looking at the wood legs of the bed that are inches from me. "I'm fine."

"Shush," Eugene says sharply, and I go silent. I close my eyes and let him tend to my wound. Eventually, he stops working and I gently touch the bandaged area. Somehow, he made the gauze stick to my face and I feel him begin to wipe away parts of my face with a damp cloth. "Are you okay?"

"I'm cold," I say honestly, "but I can fix that." I start to get up but Eugene stops me.

"Let me do that," He says, giving me a gentle look. It's odd how it makes his face transform. The dark circles suddenly seem less prominent and his eyebrows slope down gently, giving him a relaxed expression. His eyes, dark hazel in the candlelight, seem very warm and somehow intense. He helps me to my feet however, but only makes me sit down on his makeshift bed.

"Where did he go?" I ask, my eyes looking for the escaped looter.

"He ran out the front after he hit me with this," Eugene holds up an object and I realize that it is a frying pan. "Hurt like hell."

I smile wanly, and then I'm in a panic. I streak to the kitchen and dive into the cupboards. He took everything, all of it. All that's left is a glop of frozen butter and the empty, clean teacups. I'm in tears before I realize it and Eugene captures me in a hug.

"I hate them," I sob, "Why can't they just leave us alone? Why do they have to steal from people, knowing that they could end someone's life?"

Eugene says nothing, only gently strokes my back.

In his arms, I cry.

I cry for Ellie's and Alyson's loss, I cry for the king's late queen and prince. I cry for _my_ king and queen. I cry for the looters' souls, and what they have stolen for me.

I cry until I can't cry anymore.


	4. Outside

Chapter Four

My dreams are filled with Mother and Father. They are smiling as they gaze at me, their green eyes glowing with love. I smile back, tearfully, and reach out for them. Mother reaches her hand out to me, and I can hear her voice in my ear as she called me, 'Princess'.

Her fingertips touch mine, and I relax when our fingers lock. I've missed her so much. It could have only been months since I've lost them both, but it feels like years.

"Mother, Father," I say and then I pull away from Mother. I curtsey. "My king, and my queen. . ." My voice is low. I'm trying not to cry.

Father bows, his green eyes full of affection. "Your Highness."

I gape when Mother curtseys as well. "Your Highness," her head is low but then she looks up at me and her green eyes twinkle.

"Your Highnesses," I curtsey a second time. They both smile warm grins that make my heart swell and my eyes begin to water.

I hear Pascal mew and I turn. "We're missing our prince." I say, and then I look over my shoulder at my smiling parents. "I'll fetch him."

I look ahead of me again, ready to bend down and scoop up Pascal, when my eyes open.

I sit up, bewildered. My cheeks feel wet and I try not to sob as I realize that I am awake. I see Pascal sitting next to me and he licks my wrist, mewing in what sounds like an apology. I sigh and it comes out as a sob. I bite my bottom lip and swallow hard.

When I enter the kitchen, I'm swamped into tears when I see Eugene digging through the cupboards. He's not wearing his hat and his dark brown hair is ruffled. Eugene turns to glance at me, flops of hair getting into his eyes. He sees the tears and abandons the cupboards, rushing over to me.

"I'm sorry," he says and somehow I'm surrounded by the intense warmth radiating from his skin and his cologne. "About what happened. I'm sorry."

I want to pull away, but I don't. I make my arms wrap, attempt to, around Eugene's large torso. For a second, I wonder if this was how Mother hugged Father. If her arms had stretched to try and hold as much as Father as she could. I wonder if she tried to smell Father's cologne and relax into his chest like I am doing right now. . .

Smell his cologne-

I realize that the hug has lasted much longer than it should have and I pull away. Eugene smiles and his cheeks look pink. Has he been out in the snow or is he blushing? I can feel the heat in my face.

"I. . ." Eugene seems to stutter for a moment. "I haven't found much I'm afraid."

"Its fine, thanks for looking." I mumble and go to the cupboards. I sigh when I see how empty they are. Eugene busies himself with tending the fire in the fireplace, and I try to keep my hopes up as I search the cupboards for anything Eugene might have missed.

I knew Eugene had sharp eyes and having gone through them last night, I should have known better. I stop examining the empty cupboards and sit at the table, my face in my hands, as I try to figure out what we would eat.

We.

That makes me look up sharply. Eugene, who had been watching me for who knows how long from one of the kitchen walls, asks, "What?"

I look at him and shake my head, wondering. Why was Eugene still here?

"Where's Pascal?" I ask.

"Outside." Eugene says and I shoot up from my seat. I'm five feet away from the front door when I'm suddenly pinned to the wall. I'm overwhelmed with cologne and though Eugene has made sure to keep my head from colliding into the wall, I'm dizzy when he gazes at me.

"You can't go outside." Eugene says, his voice low. His light brown eyes gaze intently at me, and then they move up to my head.

"Why?" I ask quietly, trying to be subtle about pushing Eugene away. He's pushing against me, and I can feel heat flooding my cheeks again. I've never been so close to a man before, nor have I felt every inch of him. Nor have I-

"For one, your head is bleeding again." Eugene says and backs away an inch. "Another thing, it started snowing."

"And another thing. . ." Eugene says, and then his eyes darken. He seems reluctant to tell me something. "You just can't go out yet."

"Why?" I ask, louder. I'm a little more comfortable, but something in me wants Eugene pressed against me again. "And how many excuses do you have?"

"I could think of a thousand." Eugene says shyly, but then on a serious note he says, "You don't want to go outside now."

I scowl at him and try to regain my bearings. I clear my throat and Eugene, realizing that he is still forcing me into the wall, takes a few steps back. I go to my room and dress into something other than one of my more modest nightgowns, and put a scarf over my cotton blouse.

"Eugene, could you find some firewood?" I call from my room. I can see Eugene fussing with the cupboards again, but he can't see me. "It's in my parents' room."

"Okay!" He calls and I smile when he ducks from sight.

I creep to the front door and quietly let myself out. _If he finds me, my excuse is that I need to get Pascal_, I tell myself. It was wonderful to have someone care about me again.

I sneeze when a snowflake lands on my nose. I hear a mew beside me and turn. I grin when I see Pascal hiding under a thorn bush.

"Now, Pascal," I chide him playfully, "that is hardly the warmest place to be."

Pascal sneezes to prove my point and climbs from under the bush. Someone taps my shoulder and I whirl around.

It is one of Piers' friends. His name is Benjamin and his eyes are bloodshot. Exhaustion is etched on Benjamin's face and I feel my heart rip at the grief that makes his shoulders slump.

"I'm here to bury your dead," Benjamin's voice is in a dull monotone. I don't understand until I look past him and I see many men marching the streets pulling wagons and wheelbarrows. Their heads are hung low and, like Benjamin, they are exhausted. The wheelbarrows and wagons are carrying bodies and I nearly retch when I see lumps on their decaying flesh.

"Won't you get sick?" I ask Benjamin, almost stammering.

He shakes his head. "Been doin' it for a week. Nothing yet." He says dully and then he asks. "Where're your folks?"

"Dead." I rasp. "Dead and buried."

"Good." Benjamin says, and his dark green eyes are very tired. He stands there in place and hangs his head. "I'm sorry for your loss, Rapunzel."

"I-It's fine," I say and my heart aches for Benjamin. I hold my arms out to hug him and he shies away.

"If I get anything, I don't want you to catch it." Benjamin says, caution animating him. He sighs and I pity him. "The bodies are being burned. The kingdom wants it that way. Everyone who wanted their loved ones buried did it before we arrived."

"Thank you for stopping by," I try to be polite. Benjamin nods and turns away. It's at that moment that I smell Ben. I _really_ smell him. His clothes are stained with the stench of rotting flesh.

I rush past Pascal and vomit in the bushes. I feel suddenly feverishly sick and I cry when I think of the large number of bodies the men are pulling around. My stomach cramps as I retch and I'm in tears when Eugene finds me.

He says nothing, only waits for me to get my breath back, and then he helps me to my feet. His light brown eyes aren't angry, only concerned when he sees the lack of color in my face.

Somehow I'm back in my room again, except Eugene's there, rolling up my sleeves and taking off my scarf. He redresses my wound and begins to speak but I can't hear anything he's saying.

"Rapunzel," Eugene shakes me. "Rapunzel, can you hear me?"

"You were. . . talking about. . . the king," I mumble and when Eugene shakes his head, I realize I'm wrong.

Eugene looks anxious and on edge. His eyes are very vigilant and never leave my face. "Your head wound is infected. I've got to find someone to help us. It's bad."

"Oh," I slur and I suddenly understand why I was sweating the entire night. "Maybe Ellie."

"Ellie Sparrow?" Eugene is listening very carefully.

I nod slowly and wince when pain makes my head ache. "She knows Matilda. Matilda helps the king."

"Where are they now?"

The Sparrows? "At home, maybe." I then smile when I say, "Ellie's with-child with Piers' baby. She'll be around Matilda a lot."

Eugene nods and though he doesn't smile, his eyes light up when I mention Ellie's pregnancy. He looks around the house, debating something. He turns to me and helps me sit up.

"I can't leave you alone." Eugene says and his words start fading in and out. "I have to carry you."

"Why?" I mumble, and I don't hear his response.

Eugene helps me onto his back and I try to concentrate on keeping my arms around his neck. Eugene whistles to Maximus and Pascal, and then we're walking in the snow.

Benjamin and his body-searching crew are gone. The afternoon is quiet, not as sunny. The entire kingdom seems to be asleep, or holding its breath.

I blink, and awake in a dream.

Mother is crying. "Flower, wake up." She cries. "Wake up, Flower."

Father is shaking me hard. "Rapunzel, wake up. Open your eyes."

I push them away, feeling queasy. "I want to sleep." I turn my head away from them.

Father is persistent.

"Wake up, Rapunzel!"

I sit up with a start and retch in a waiting bowl. I grab the bowl and moan.

Alyson had been shaking me awake and Ellie takes the bowl, holding her breath. Something is wiping at my face.

"Easy there," Alyson coos when I double over, my stomach cramping. "Don't move so much."

Piers and Eugene are leaning against the wall next to the door, looking ill at ease.

"Where's Mattie?" Ellie asks Piers.

Piers gives her a soft look. "I found her. She's on her way." He looks at me. "You okay?" His calm voice contradicts the worry in his bright blue eyes.

I nod wearily and lay back down again. I don't know whose bed I'm in. The room is aglow with bright candlelight.

When I'm being shaken again, I'm so tired I almost don't notice Matilda standing over me. Her sweet brown eyes are dark with worry, like Eugene's and Piers'. Her hand goes to my forehead.

She says to me. "Take it easy for a few days."

_How?_ I want to scream at her. _The looters took everything we have._

I stay quiet and only nod, and then I lose myself in my dreams where worry can't burden me.


	5. Baby Names

Chapter Five

It is amazing how awake I feel when my eyes open again. I sit up and rub at my eyes before I scan the room for Piers and Ellie. No one is in the room and I climb off the soft cotton bedspread.

I gaze around and remember from spending earlier nights here that I am in the guest room. Ellie and Alyson have their own room, their parents had a room for themselves, and that means that I am in the spare room.

I leave the room and walk into the beige-colored living room. Like my home, the Sparrows have a fireplace in the living room. Piers is attending to it, and he looks behind him as if he heard my near-silent approach. He smiles, "Hey, Rapunzel. How's your head?"

"Its fine," I say and look into the kitchen from where I am. "Where's the Sparrows?"

Piers sets the red-hot poker down on the marble side of the mantel and gets to his feet. His movements are stiff and I wonder how long he had been coaxing the firewood to ignite. "They walked to the square to grab some food." His eyes go dark with worry. "Rumor has it that the king is giving away food. He hardly needs it now."

Alarm fills me. "Is he ill?"

"Heart-broken, yes." Piers sighs. His blue eyes go to the hardwood floor that we both are standing on and he seems to gather something inside himself before he looks up at me. "Hungry?"

"Not really," I am ravenous but I can hide it. Piers scoffs at me and walks past me to the kitchen, seamlessly grabbing my wrist and pulling me along. I take a seat at the kitchen table and then I realize who is missing.

"Where are Eugene and Pascal? And Maximus?" I pretend to worry like a mother hen, though I am worried as much as I'm hungry.

Piers blinks back at me from searching the cabinets under the sink. "They all went to grab some firewood. We've all decided to sleep in the living room. The bedrooms will be for people like yourself." He nods at me and turns to the cupboards.

"People like me?" I can tell I'm beginning to become annoying but Piers answers my questions like he is expecting them. Maybe he's been silent for a while and a talking girl has him chattering like a squirrel.

"Sick people," Piers says and then he catches the sad look on my face. "People who need help, we'll bring them here."

"What if they're ill?" I ask and immediately think of Ellie. In a few months, she'll become fragile. We don't need her exposed to anyone with the plague.

"We'll give them the best help we can. They'd have to sleep outside," Piers says and then his eyes darken a further shade of blue. "I don't want Ellie to catch anything." Our thoughts traveled the same distance, it seems.

"Mh-hm." I hum in agreement and we change topics after a short silence. He begins to run off baby names to me and I chuckle at some of them.

"What's so funny about 'Piers'?" Piers demands as he hands me a warm bowl of porridge. "I think it is clever."

"What will you do when she calls 'Piers' and you don't know which one she meant?" I giggle at Piers' defensiveness.

Piers rolls his blue eyes. Our playful bickering has brightened the kitchen. "Fine, Rapunzel. We'll call him Pierre."

The soft way he said the name made the giggles halt and a smile glow on my face. Pierre. It sounds pretty, even if it is for a baby boy.

"For a girl?" I ask and try to guess Piers idea. Piers says nothing; his large hands fuss with his dark hair as he ponders a girl version of 'Pierre'.

"I don't know," he says after a long moment. Suddenly, I can see why Ellie had grown fond of Piers once she knew him. The thoughtfulness in his bright blue eyes made him seem like a careful, one-step-ahead man. Piers is thoughtful, yes, but also impulsive. To me, Piers is like the older brother I never had.

The relaxed look in his eyes reminds me of Eugene. The way he helped me onto the living room floor after the looter had fled the house the other day. The gentle look in his light brown eyes that made him seem to care about me, like somehow we were like Piers and Ellie, like I was carrying Eugene's baby-

Piers snaps his fingers and the tiny _click_ makes me jump. "I got it!" He seems triumphant. His bright blue eyes are excited. "What about Petunia?"

I smile widely. "Like the flower?"

"That's right!" Piers hops off his seat and smiles. "Well, I mean, Ellie can come up with names, too, but, um. . . I like Petunia."

"Petunia?" A voice asks, gruff. Piers and I look to the living room to see Eugene tugging in a very long tree branch, much like the slender trunk of a pine tree. Piers races over to help and stands by Eugene's side when Eugene drops the tree branch.

Piers' eyes follow the tree branch past my viewpoint and he grins. "Did you cut down a pine tree?"

Eugene nods, looking tired. "I didn't want to have to go out for a while. Benjamin's coming to this side of the kingdom."

The thought of Benjamin's grueling duty makes the porridge want to come up again. I swallow hard and join them by the edge of the tree trunk. "Where are Pascal and Max?"

Eugene opens his mouth to reply, and then confusion floods his face. Piers and I watch as Eugene fumbles to explain. Piers exchanges glances with me. "Did you lose them?" Piers asks worriedly.

Eugene looks ready to disagree but only nods. He grimaces and points to the front door. "They followed me out. I thought they were right behind me when I came back in."

It's at the moment that a scream fills the air.

We all rush to the front door and fling it open.

Ellie and Alyson are sitting in the snow, looking pale in the face, but laughing. Pascal is licking Ellie's cheeks and Maximus is busy sniffing at Ellie's belly. His large wolfish head lifts up at us and he abandons Ellie, rushing straight to Piers. Piers cries out when he falls over and Maximus begins licking Piers face.

"Get off me!" Piers cries and then to me, he asks breathlessly, "Can you help Ellie?"

I obey and pull Ellie to her feet; Eugene assists Alyson to her feet as well. Ellie is still laughing and her gray eyes are bright when we all ask her what happened.

"Maximus figured out what I'm carrying Piers' baby!" She squeals in amusement. She swats Maximus away when he gets on his haunches to sniff at her belly again. "Pascal acted much calmer," she accuses Eugene.

Eugene looks too relieved to see Pascal and Maximus were safe. He smiled at her, looking very relieved and tired at the same time.

"What did Pascal do?" Piers asks Ellie; Piers' face was aglow in the bright outdoors. It was good to see everyone smiling. We all crowd inside the house and sit around in the living room. I busy myself with the fire while waiting for Ellie's response.

Ellie smiles, and her smile reminds me that a storm doesn't last for long.

"After Max had knocked me over, Pascal kissed my nose!"

"He likes you," Alyson smiles and begins to pull off the two scarves that kept Ellie warm. Ellie is beginning to sweat in her layers of clothes.

"You think so?" Ellie gives Pascal and Maximus fond looks. Piers hands Ellie a bowl of porridge, and then he freezes. Tension fills the room and Pascal looks on edge when everyone went quiet.

"The rumors aren't true?" He asked, and worry made me stiffen.

Alyson soothes everyone. "We were late. It's an hourly thing. They're giving out more food later today, just before sunset."

"Oh," I exhale in relief.

Ellie nods and I saw her try to relax against the loveseat. "They give out a basket for everyone, but you can't lose it."

"Sounds easy enough," Eugene says beside me. "Show up, grab food, leave. Show up the next time, keep the basket from before. . . Mh-hm. Easy enough." He was mumbling. He must have been working all day.

"I'll bring Benjamin over," Piers says, patting Eugene on the back. "When will you be going home?" Piers asks quietly, looking over at me.

Ellie and Alyson protest. "She can't leave!"

"It'll be fine, Ellie," the way Ellie's eyes fill with fear clue me in. "The baby won't be here for months."

"B-But-" Ellie starts but Piers kisses her on the temple.

"I'll stick around for a bit," I soothe Ellie and Alyson. Piers flashes me a grateful glance and that is when I know that it isn't only the Sparrows who don't want me to leave.

I gently touch at the bandage on my head and sigh. "If I catch anything, I'm out of here, all right?"

"All right." Ellie murmurs, sounding sad. She blinks hard and her gray eyes try to brighten. "Have you come up with any baby names yet?"

"I have!" Piers exclaims, sounding proud. "Pierre and Petunia."

"Ooh," Alyson coos. "I like Pierre."

Ellie smiles and the debate begins once more.

Eugene relaxes beside me, his eyes drifting shut. I curl up, my head on something soft, and a warm hand goes to my hair. Ellie and Alyson's voices fade away.

Before I lose consciousness, a long blanket covers my skin. I hear Eugene sigh sleepily and someone says gently, "Get some sleep."

I realize I'm lying on Eugene's lap when Eugene stirs faintly, overwhelmed with drowsiness.

When it is sunset, Eugene and I are both asleep.


	6. Murky

Chapter Six

I rub my eyes as I sit up on the loveseat. Eugene is gone and I hear the Sparrows chattering away somewhere behind me. I turn when I hear two manly voices, one familiar and one not.

I spot Benjamin joining Ellie at the table and two things make my eyes water. The first thing is the fact that Benjamin handles bodies ridden with the plague and he's sitting next to a with-child young woman who just finished cleaning out the odor of the plague with her older sister.

The second thing is that I can hear Benjamin's voice. When I had first talk to him since the summer, his voice had been hoarse from exhaustion and lack of water. Now his voice is rich and deep like how it used to be.

I wave and greet them all with a cheerful, "Good morning!"

Benjamin and the Sparrows look up at me, three faces glowing with smiles. "Hi, Punz," Benjamin says and I wave at them.

I walk up to Ben and capture him in a strategic hug, taking a moment to sniff hard at his clothes. He's shaved and he smells of smoke and cotton. He must have woken up a little while ago and cleaned up.

"Ellie, did you eat?" I ask when I pull away from Ben, smiling at him sweetly and bouncing to the cabinets.

"Alyson made sure of that." Ellie says behind me and the agitation I hear in her voice makes me feel warm inside. She's tired of being pampered. _Oh well._

"Here, I'll make you some tea," I offer and ignore her complaints. I set the kettle on while Benjamin and Ellie make use of the dim fire in the fireplace.

It isn't cold inside, but I know that the outside is freezing. I glance out of the windows at the wind pushing at the snowflakes. I frown. "Is that the start of a blizzard?"

Benjamin peeks out with the wary Sparrows. "I hope not. Piers and Eugene are out walking Max."

My mind jumps to the only Mendel besides me and I feel worry darken my face. Ellie sees this and quickly says, "Pascal tagged along."

I nod and try to clear my face. I dig a hole for the worry in my mind and bury it with thoughts going to the square. "What time will we head out?"

"An hour before sunset." Ellie says to me, sitting down on one of the loveseats. I join Alyson on relaxing on the hardwood floor of the living room. The wood is cold, and somehow soothes my back and I lie down. "Piers wants to make a few stops."

"Oh," Alyson sits up and there's a look in her gray eyes that confuses me. "Piers didn't change his mind?"

Ellie doesn't look at me or Alyson when she says, her voice taut, "Afraid not."

"What?" Benjamin looks as curious as I felt. "Where are we going first?"

"Piers wants to see who made it." Ellie answers, her eyes going to Benjamin. "He knew the Nichols."

"Derek and Summer Nichols?" I ask for clarity. Not looking at me, Ellie nods. My stomach clenches. I knew the two of them well, well enough.

They never liked me and had been the leaders of the small group that made sure to harass me outside. They started the lies, and one lie had stood out. I didn't hate them, never could. For all I knew, their parents told them what they spread throughout Corona.

"We'll go on ahead," Benjamin says next to Ellie on the loveseat. "I'm sure Punz wouldn't mind to say a few words to the king."

I smile. Benjamin is offering to take me to the square so we won't run into them? It makes me want to hug him. "If I meet him." Saying anything to the king would be an honor.

"Sure you will." Benjamin says happily and I stretch my neck so he sees my smile grow bigger.

* * *

><p>A small, furred body flopping on my belly makes my eyes open.<p>

I yawn as I rub my eyes. I try not to grow frustrated with myself as I stroke Pascal's flank. Since I hit my head, I had been sleeping more and more. Matilda had been making sure the infection stayed at bay with the little, precious herbs that she had. The sleeping irked me as I was often up early in the morning and plagued with boredom as the day ended.

Eugene bids me a sleepy greeting from the table next to Piers, who looks almost wide-awake. He is jittery, excited to see the Nichols. I want to feel his enthusiasm, but I can't.

Ellie is awake still, the fact surprises me. I find her shaking Alyson awake on the loveseat and Benjamin hands a bleary-eyed Alyson a cup of warm tea. I take the last tea cup off the counter, Ellie is holding hers, and I sip, my eyes going to the sleeping cat and wolf-like dog in the middle of the living room.

"I'm up," Alyson says, pushing groggily at Ellie, "Leave me be."

"Are you sure you're up?" Ellie asks teasingly. "You're mumbling."

Alyson groans in such disgruntlement that it has us all laughing.

* * *

><p>Ellie and the others follow Piers to a house I don't want to go to. Benjamin walks beside me as we carry on. Maximus and Pascal had stayed at the Sparrows', too tired to want to come with us all.<p>

"You don't like the Nichols?" Benjamin's voice, loud in the quiet, makes me jump. I glance at him and shake my head, thinking bitterly to the whispers and the pointing hands that will start all too soon once we make it to the square. "Why?"

"They spread lies." My voice is unusually cold, and Benjamin goes silent as we walk. The sun is still bright with late afternoon but I know by the time we make it back to the Sparrows', it will appear to be midnight outside.

I abruptly decide early the next day to run home and grab more clothes if Ellie insists I stay. I have worn the same garments for two days now, and though I haven't been exerting myself, I sweat in my sleep when I have nightmares.

I pull my sleeve-covered wrist to my nose, smelling the fabric. It was sweat-stained. I shiver in the cold and blink as I gaze around. "The blizzard is gone."

"It might not have been a blizzard." Benjamin says absently as we walk. I turn to him and try to think of something to say. I've wounded him, but I don't know how I had done so.

"Did I say something?" I ask softly. Benjamin looks at me, his dark green eyes wary.

"No," Benjamin says unsurely. At the confused look on my face, he asks, "What lies?" Something about him seems nervous.

"They're about me." I say and Benjamin visibly relaxes. "Why? Have you done something to them?"

"I don't think so." Benjamin says and I feel confusion make my lips pull down. What is Benjamin worried about? Do they know something dark about him? "What are they about?" Benjamin asks.

I bit my lip and say, "I'd rather them not pretend to know something they don't." I don't want to tell Benjamin.

He seems to sense this and drops the topic. Relief makes me rub at the sweat dewing on my eyebrows.

* * *

><p>The line isn't as long as it seems. I join Benjamin in the line after being handed my basket. I cling to it tightly, remembering the policy. If I lost it, I couldn't get food. I hold my breath and peer around, looking for the Nichols or their group.<p>

I see a few familiar faces in front of me and I bit my lip, cursing quietly under my breath. I don't want to be seen by them.

After a half hour, Benjamin and I are in front. I swallow hard when I see who awaits us. The king is personally handing out food given to him in several medium pouches. The king places on in the basket of the young maiden in front of me, smiling.

"Bread," he says to her, "and barley."

The lady curtseys and I hear quiet sobs as she begins to walk away, joining a small group, her family, waiting for her yards away from the fountain.

I realize then that it was my turn and my hands holding the bucket begin to shake. My eyes widen when I see the king.

His cheeks are slightly pink and his nose is red. His brown eyes shine as he begins to place several pouches in my bucket. He begins to tell me what's inside them. "Bread, a small cask of wine." He says to me, his lips blue. "Peas and beans." Another pouch. "Cold tea." Another one. "Turnips."

It's when he's done speaking that I'm being waved away. I remain where I am and I smile, the tears frozen on my face.

"Thank you, your Highness." I say to him, my voice a whisper.

King Christopher smiles at me warmly. "You're welcome." He says to me and the softness in his voice makes me want my king back.

"I-I'm sorry for your loss." I mumble to him, awed to be in his presence.

The king's smile fades a bit but he still says, "Yours as well. Your father was a great man."

"The best father a maiden could have," I almost called my father a king. "We'll miss the queen."

"As will I." He says to me, and to my shock, his eyes flood with a realization and he places his shoulders on my hands. "Aren't you Rapunzel?"

I nod, startled. King Christopher begins to speak rapidly. "My wife told me about you, the girl who doesn't like to go outside. You should, dear, the roses are beautiful and the sky is blue. The people are a mess at times, but come outside for the roses."

I feel more hot tears begin to burn my eyes as they arrive. His wife, the _queen_, mentioned _me_ to him? She knew that much, very little really when compared to what the Sparrows knew, about me? And she told him-

"Promise me?" the king asks, his brown eyes warm. "You'll come to the square sometime?"

I smile, touched and on the brink of sobbing, "For the roses, your Highness."

"For the. . ." King Christopher's voice trails off and he smiles brightly. He nods to me and astonished, I nod back. His hands leave my shoulders and still smiling, he waves me along.

Dazed, I wander off a few yards and stand by one of the walls, waiting for Benjamin. I was suddenly happy and bubbly on the inside. I look down at the pouches in my bucket and I take a moment to smile.

"Did he tell you he was happy your folks died?" I hear a hiss to my left and I turn, taking a step back. "Because I am." The tone of the voice filled with hostility is so different from the king's voice, warm with happiness. I feel a sting settle in my heart, chasing away the content. I reach out for it but find that my earlier happiness has gone away.

I lose my composure and glare at the girl who spoke. It's Summer Nichols. I realize what I'm doing and I erase my face of any anger.

She snarls, smirking, "Can't lose your temper? Afraid they'll persecute you?"

I say nothing, turning my back to her, and Summer goes on, her brown eyes, so different from King Christopher's, are angry. "I still have _my_ parents. It makes sense that you lost yours."

It was then that I knew I was going to snap. I was going to lose my temper and knock her in the head with a balled fist. I was going to run at her and tackle her. I was going to punch her and beat her senseless.

I was going to _make her take that back_.

"Quiet." I hiss, my voice cold as I tried to keep my head. I wasn't going to bow down to her.

"Why?" Summer growls and I make a bad mistake.

I turn around, my eyes going to her face.

She has done this to me for years. She has always been in my face or throwing things at me with her older brother. He should have known better than to let her do it, and join her, but she should have been acting like a girl, not a uncivilized thug.

"Why?" She demands again when I don't speak. "They'd hardly harm someone like _you_."

I bit my lip and begin to turn back around, wanting more than ever to knock her into the snow. A cold gust of wind slams into us. I take the chance to breathe in crisp, cold air. I was about to have control of my increasing anger until Summer said, hissing,

"Wedlock child."

I turn around so fast that my bucket flies from my hands. I begin to march to her, red clouding my eyes. I feel arms grab me from behind and it takes all I can not to scream curses at her.

It is Benjamin, I know it is. I bit my lip hard, drawing blood, and glare daggers at Summer.

Benjamin hisses at her, restraining me. "Get out."

"Can't control your-" Then she says a word that makes Benjamin's grip tighten on me though I know he's imagining himself strangling Summer.

"Leave!" Another voice says, one furious. It's Eugene. I turn to see Eugene and Piers with the others standing next to Benjamin. Eugene's face is red from the cold and anger. His light brown eyes are fierce.

"Oh," Summer says, and I see that she hasn't planned for anyone to rescue me, or to stop me from hurting her. She gazes at me, still scornful. "Bye, bye, Punz. Glad to have a little chat."

She walks towards us and makes a show of brushing past me, still in Benjamin's grip. I watch her go and I have to make myself think of Eugene's chess games before the red tint leaves my vision.

Alyson gazes sorrowfully at me while Eugene looks on after Summer, glaring at her. Ellie is as angry as Eugene is, and Piers scoops up my bucket, tossing in the fallen pouches.

They all turn to me, and the compassion mixed with pity on their faces makes my eyes dew up. Piers, not saying anything, holds out my bucket. I take it, my eyes going to their full hands. They all held buckets as well.

I swallow hard and look down at my bucket when the tears fell.

Summer gets to me every time she speaks, and while I want to hurt her and call her all sorts of names, she's right.

I am a wedlock child.

When my parents first met, they were able to contain themselves. They cared for each other and lusted for each other that much that after my father proposed, they lost it. My mother was showing on the day they were married.

I wasn't a wedlock child, but then I _was_. I doubted Summer knew that much about how I came to be. I doubt she knew that my mother whelped me six months after they were married.

The rumors hadn't started until I turned five when I could almost understand what they were about. I had asked Mother if it was true, and she had only grown angry, not at me. They both had taken it out on each other, wrongfully so. They had conceived me before marriage but had been married for six months when I had arrived. The lines were murky.

Summer was right, in her mind and in the minds of those of helped her. According to Corona, wedlock children weren't deemed legitimate children. I was not on a document that had the name of all the people who ever lived in Corona. Instead, I had my own document, joined with other wedlock children like me. I knew them, as the wedlock children were each other's friends, and I hadn't seen them all winter. The Sparrows, Piers Grey, Eugene, and now Benjamin were my only friends who weren't wedlocks, nor who cared what people like Summer and Derek thought.

Wedlock children weren't to be persecuted but the Nichols had taken it upon themselves to be rude to the wedlocks and make their lives more difficult. I could hardly be in the square without being looked at oddly or pointed to. My wedlock friends shared the same fate as I, and we made a point every week to gather around the lake and be merry. Without them, I was sure I wouldn't have made it to fifteen, as my grandmother had died that year. She had been the kindest of all of Corona and she scowled at those who pointed at me when I went with her to the square.

Sometimes, I wondered why my parents hadn't waited. I couldn't understand. I understood that my parents hadn't planned for the Nichols and their followers to be rude. But if Mother was _showing_ at the wedding, shouldn't it have been more private? According to Father, they had the wedding by the lake, greeting anyone who stopped by. _Everyone_ saw Mother carrying me. And now everyone who agreed with the Nichols didn't try to stop themselves. They didn't try to be _nice_-

"Rapunzel." Eugene said to me, trying to grab my attention.

I walked past him and my friends, feeling the tears frozen on my face and the sadness in my eyes. I led the way back to the Sparrows', silent the entire time.

I remembered what King Christopher told me and kept it close, sheltering it in my heart.

At the moment though, I cared less what the king said to me and focused at what Summer had been telling me my entire life.


	7. Intruder

Chapter Seven

"Rapunzel?" Eugene asks me as we sit in the quiet living room of the Sparrows' house. Everyone else is in the kitchen, angrily whispering to each other. "Rapunzel?" Eugene says my name again and I look up at him once I'm sure the tears are gone.

"Y-Yes?" I rasp and then I swallow hard. "What is it?"

The warm concern in his eyes makes the tears want to start again. I push back at the will to cry and I wait for him to speak.

"Are you all right?" Eugene asks and I nod my head, watching him shake his. He doesn't think so. "I'm sorry about her."

"She's not your sister." I say and my eyes go to Piers and Benjamin with the Sparrows. They all look at me from where they stand, sympathy for me and anger for Summer on their faces. "I'm going to go."

"Where?" Ellie asks and sadness makes her gray eyes a little too bright. "Oh, Rapunzel, won't you stay?"

I shake my head sadly and I hop off the loveseat. I gather up Pascal in my arms and smile tightly at Maximus. "You'll see me around." I say firmly and look at them all. Everyone else has joined Eugene in the living room now.

"Where are you going?" Benjamin asks me and I say the truth.

"I'm going home." I say and sorrow darkens the room. I feel guilt make my heart begin to sink in my chest and I try to say lightly, "I'll see you around, okay?"

"Okay." Piers says hollowly. Pascal complains in my arms but I say nothing, and for a moment, I forget where I am.

I look down at my last piece of my family and I peck him on the forehead, closing my eyes. I try to gather strength from Pascal. He never cared what anyone said, it seemed. He never cared when I was little and yanked on his tail. So why should I care if Summer yanked on mine?

Alyson hands me a lantern, ignoring my feeble protests and Ellie gives me one of her tapers. I smile at them, trying to be grateful for their kindness. I am, but Summer's words make it hard for me to feel anything but anger.

I let myself out. I go to the door and I close it behind me, offering no more farewells. I'd have to find Matilda later but I don't want to see anyone right now.

Pascal walks beside me, and he's silent as we walk back to my house.

It's darker than ever outside but I can see everything, as the stars are out, shining for the princess and her prince.

* * *

><p>I let myself inside my house and I take a second to look around, squinting in the dark, setting Pascal down. I go to the kitchen, Pascal on my heels, and dig around for my frying pan.<p>

Gripping it tightly in my arms, I investigate the house. When everything else is clear, I stalk to my parents' bedroom, listening carefully. Hearing nothing, I pause to light the candle I placed on the wooden floor. I hold it up and then I scream.

The candle and the frying pan fall to the ground. The candle's flame goes out as it fell, the flame overwhelmed by too much air as it falls. The frying pan falls with a _clang_ and I have no chance of picking it up.

A hand, rough with calluses, reaches for me and covers my mouth and then they're behind me, yanking me back into the living room. I struggle, my body ice cold with adrenaline. My hands fly out, reaching for his face.

All of my screams are muffled by his hand and I wail, my feet flying. I strike out blindly with my hands. One of his hands goes to my waist and I can only flail and twist, feeling the panic spread through me like cold oil being poured over my skin.

"No," he grunts and the sound makes my blood run cold. "Stop."

I breathe heavily into his hand and I feel anxiety make me freeze when his hand on my mouth goes to my other hip. He pulls me against him and I struggle to breathe.

"Let me go." I gasp and then I lurch forward. His grip from me slips and then I'm running through my house in the dark.

I hear him after me and I try to remember where I am. My foot kicks something hard on the floor and I duck, feeling air whoosh past me –he tried to grab me again- and I grab at the floor. Metal touches my hands and I pick it up, twisting back around and flinging the pan, still in my grip, into the air.

I miss, and then there's a hand on my hair, yanking. I cry out, whirling around to face him, and then I fling the pan again. He groans and then the hand on my hair is gone. I hold the pan tightly, hating that I can't see, and begin to back up.

My foot steps on something round and I fall back, landing hard on my back. The pan skids from me on the ground and I see stars in the dark. He gropes the floor for me, and then his hand is on my leg.

I start kicking and I hit something because then he groans again. I crawl backward, rapidly, and then I touch a wall.

_No!_ I think in panic. I don't know which wall I'm pressed against. I try to quiet my breathing and I feel around me with my hands. Hopeless, I climb back to my feet and then he's on me again, pinning me to the wall behind me.

I push at him with my hands, confused -why he won't leave me alone?- and then his hand is back on my mouth. I bite down on fingers and only panic when he ignores my teeth in his flesh. I lift my leg desperately, trying to kick him someplace crucial, and he ignores me, his other hand going to my collarbone to keep me against the wall.

"Where's the food?" He demands breathlessly. He's a looter, a desperate one if he's fought with me for this long. His hand leaves my mouth in a jerky motion and I say, just as breathless.

"I don't have any." I rasp and he doesn't believe me.

"Where is it?" he demands.

"You missed your chance." I say bravely; my lungs full of air make me bold. "It was all taken a few days ago."

He grunts in disbelief and then his hand is back on my mouth. "Oh well," he says roughly. "You're a woman."

_What?_ I suddenly know where this is going. I begin to fight with him again, my arms reaching for him to push him away.

"Good for something." He says and then his hand is gone, replaced by something I don't like. I yelp in dismay and then he shouts. "Damn!"

I hear a loud snarl and I want to cry when I realize that Pascal has come to my rescue. I take my chance and push hard at the man. I feel a jolt of pleasure when he falls away from me and then I bend down, reaching for my prince. Pascal has to get out of here. He saved me, but he's a cat. The man could kill him with the right blow to the head.

"Pascal!" I whisper. "Get out!" My head begins to ache as the adrenaline wears off.

Pascal snarls angrily and then the man cries out again. "Get him off!"

I feel around me and I touch clothing that faintly smells of something alcoholic. I feel around for Pascal and once I feel his fur, I yank him off of the man, scooping him in my arms and running. I can't be careful about where I'm going. I've lost my one weapon and my taper. I can't see or defend myself. And Pascal's a _cat_. He's not dog or even a cross between a wolf and a dog like Maximus is.

_ Pascal and I have to get out of here._

I feel out in front of me, suddenly realizing that the man has gone quiet. I hear boots squeak against hardwood floor -the man is up and running- and I toss Pascal in the air, crying out when there's a hand on my hair again.

I'm yanked backward and then there's something going across my head. The ache from earlier suddenly flares up, going all over my head, and pain makes me see bigger, brighter stars than before.

My hands go up to my head and I hear Pascal's pads on the hardwood floor as he runs, hopefully toward safety. I look around, confused when the boots go off in a different direction. The man's running too.

Then I realize.

"No!" I scream and race after him, bumping into furniture and things I can't see. I toss things aside, the stars growing bigger.

I hear the man in front of me and I lurch at him, knocking him over. I cry out for Pascal to run and then the man is struggling, trying to chase Pascal.

I hold onto my resolve and fight with him, trying to pin him to the floor. I feel the frying pan nearby as my hands brush against the floor struggling with the man and I reach for it.

I grab the pan by the handle and it goes crashing against his head. He goes still beneath me and I exhale, my harsh breathing hurting my chest. I can't hear Pascal anymore. The house is quiet except for my wheezing.

Dazed, I crawl off of the man.

I manage to get to my feet and walk on. I'm colder than ever though my head aches and seems to be full of burning flames. I feel my body sag and my lungs shrink, making me feel light-headed.

I hit the floor face first and everything fades away.

* * *

><p>Something gently touches my face.<p>

I gasp and wince. I feel numb all over despite the pounding in my head. I try to open my eyes and I see triples of everything.

Someone with light brown eyes is looking at me in concern. The light brown eyes suddenly sparkle and then the lips cry. "Thank God!"

"She's awake?" Someone else asks and then I recognize the voices. My head is resting in someone's lap and I try to make the triples into one.

"Yes," Eugene says ecstatically above me. Alyson peers at me and calls for Benjamin and Piers. Everyone, Ellie, Maximus, and Pascal crowd my vision and I feel a paw on my forehead.

I exhale sharply, my breath a hiss, and then the paw is gone. Maximus huffs in apology and then Piers is looking at something else.

"It's a pity he's gone." Piers growls and then Eugene's eyes darken. "We could have asked him a few things."

"Where's Mattie?" Ellie asks and then Piers answers.

"She's at the house watching our stuff." Piers say gently and then everyone looks back at me.

"What happened, Chocolate?" Ellie asks me worriedly. "Can you tell us?" I try to sit up and Eugene tilts up my head for me. My eyes groggily scan the rest of the house.

It is early morning and the light shines on the toppled furniture and hardwood floor. The frying pan lies nearby and Pascal's green eyes watch my face as I try to process it all.

Then it comes back in a rush.

"There was a man," I say quickly and lurch forward into a sitting position. Ellie gasps in shock at my fast movements; Eugene's hands go to my shoulders. I become upset as I recall what happened and then I'm standing up, shaking off everyone who tries to help me stand up. "He was here, and he came at me." I say shakily.

"You fought him off." Benjamin says and I nod, wincing at the pain that follows.

"He, um," my fingers go to my lips and I feel myself turn a pale green. "I think he was drunk," I say to help ease my nerves.

I turn back to my friends and I see the anger on Eugene's face. It touches me. We hardly knew each other and he keeps getting upset when I get hurt.

"But you stopped him." Alyson says to me and I nod, though I'm not so sure. Who was to say that he hadn't woken up before I did and somehow had his way with me? The thought makes me want to vomit.

"East there," Eugene says, stepping in front of me. His hands go to my shoulders and his eyes stay on my face. "You're okay."

"I-I think so." I say and then I realize how cold I still am. I shiver and Piers hands me a blanket. Benjamin offers to search the rest of the house, though they must had done it several times after they arrived, and I sit on the floor with Eugene.

Ellie looks at Alyson, worry still on her face. "Isn't the king's announcement in two days?"

Alyson nods. "I believe so."

Ellie hums in nonchalance and I feel myself beginning to shake when I think of what happened last night. Sensing my distress, Eugene grabs my hand and gives it a light squeeze.

I look at him, grateful for his comfort, and I find him gazing at me. He scowls for a moment and I freeze. "What is it?"

Eugene speaks and the scowl is gone. "I can't believe what he did to your pretty lips." His words shock me.

I glance up to see Ellie gazing at me. Instead of warning me with her eyes, she seems to be encouraging me. She makes a show of pulling Alyson into my parent's room to inspect the damage.

"Are you okay?" Eugene says beside me, watching them go.

I look at Eugene and nod. My head aches and I'm shaking from bad memories, but when Eugene looks at me with that gentle concern in his light brown eyes, it all goes away.

With Eugene, I am perfectly fine.


	8. A New Heir

Chapter Eight

"I'm not sure when you can come back here." Benjamin says after Eugene finishes explaining the other looter who was here. "It seems like your house might be a destination for some people."

I look up at his blurry face and I sigh. "All my things are here."

"We'll make stops for your things." Ellie says and a strange excitement makes her gray eyes shine. "Here, we'll go get your stuff right now!" She grabs Alyson's hand and they race off to the room.

Piers and Eugene had gone to grab more food from the square and Pascal sits on my lap, licking my cheeks. I'm groggy and almost bone-tired from the fight last night. I want to do nothing more than sleep.

"Hurry, Ellie!" Piers calls to the Sparrows. "It's about sunset now."

I look around, slightly more alert. We had been sitting around in my house since sunset? I want to stand up and find something for them all to eat but then I remember the two looters.

"How about we get you up, hm?" Benjamin looks at me. I nod and reach out for Piers. Piers helps me to my feet and for a moment, all I can see are snowflakes flying at my face.

"Whoa!" Piers exclaims and I fall into his arms. I feel the color leave my face and my head threatens to split in half. I groan into his chest and the Sparrows come running.

"Rapunzel, are you okay?" Ellie cries.

"Fine." I say loudly and I can't make myself pull away from Piers' arms. "Just dizzy."

"Really dizzy," Benjamin mutters and Piers' arms go around me.

I don't let go of Piers. Piers stands there and I can feel Eugene and Benjamin eyeing me. I'm tired of getting hurt. Piers' soft voice begins to lull me to sleep.

"Okay," Piers says awkwardly. "I like hugs."

I smile groggily into his chest and everything fades out of focus.

* * *

><p>I find Alyson shaking me awake. It's time to go to the square for the king's announcement and for more food.<p>

I had been groggy for the past two days and the Sparrows have been my maids, helping me as my head injury heals. I was sure I had a concussion and Matilda's words confirm it.

She hands me a cup of tea and her brown eyes peer at me.

"I see what Eugene is talking about." She says to me. Her eyes are staring at my lips. "But it looks better than it did a few days ago."

I touch my lips and I now feel the cut that is there. Ellie smiles at me and says teasingly, "You're still pretty."

"Pretty." Eugene scoffs at the word, making me look at him. He looks at my attire and says, "You look beautiful."

Before I can express my gratitude, the word beautiful makes my cheeks red, Matilda begins to fuss with the knot on the side of my head. My cheeks are splotched with light purple. I must have bruised my face when I fell down that night. "You did well for being so hungry."

"Rapunzel's fierce," Piers says for me. His blue eyes go to my face. "Of course she fought him off."

They've been saying that lately, saying that I fought him off and that he was out the entire night like I was. I don't want to rain on their parade so I nod and go along with their words. I don't want them to be wrong.

I look at Pascal and Maximus sitting by the fireplace and I think longingly to my own. I had no reason to go there now. The house was free of food and my things. All that lingers are my parents' bodies in the back behind the house.

I walk to Pascal and he bounds to me on those agile paws of his. I crouch down and pull him in my arms, giving his forehead a kiss. I'd hate to come back and not find him waiting for me.

"Time to go?" Benjamin asks and I turn back to see them all watching me embrace my cat. I nod and look back at Pascal.

"Don't get into trouble." I whisper in his ears and he licks my nose when I draw away. I get back to my feet and I walk behind Alyson. She grabs my hand and pulls me along, knowing that I'm still sluggish.

I follow my friends into the snow, wondering what the king would announce.

* * *

><p>I stand between Ellie and Benjamin. I get up on my tip toes, trying to see the king's face.<p>

The announcer rings the bell even though he knows everyone is here. He looks at us all, as does the king, and they exchange warm glances. Apparently _everyone_ is here.

"Greetings." The announcer calls to us all. We all echo his greeting and we wait for him to speak. "We're glad to see that all of you are here." Ellie looks a bit disconcerted at his words but nonetheless nods with the rest of the crowd.

"I'm sure you're all glad to know that spring will be here soon." The announcer's words set up a dark roar. Everyone is laughing but the laughter is painful. Some of us, most of us, didn't live to see this day let alone spring. "King Christopher has an announcement and I advise everyone to listen."

Everyone makes confused murmurs when the announcer backs away. The announcement must be personal if the announcer cannot say the words. Had King Christopher wanted it this way?

King Christopher smiles at his announcer. "Thank you, Lawrence." Lawrence, the announcer, smiles at King Christopher and the king turns his attention back to us.

"Now," his voice becomes husky and I tremble, dreading the worst. "This announcement is. . . Rather hard to make."

The audience makes a worried sound and King Christopher speaks.

"This announcement is for. . . Well, you see. . ." Tears fall from his eyes and the king bows his head for a moment. The audience goes absolutely silent and seeing the king's sorrow makes my own eyes want to burn.

Lawrence darts to King Christopher's side and he begins to whisper in his ear. The king shakes his head and only takes Lawrence's hand. The way Lawrence looks at the crowd, his eyebrows slouched over devastated eyes, makes me realize how long the two have known each other.

They were best friends before the plague, before Lawrence's brother fell ill and Lawrence had to take his occupation. Lawrence and the king used to ride horses together through the square when they were younger. They had grown up together and Lawrence must had known the queen and prince very well.

"Citizens," the king starts again, "of Corona. I have an announcement to make." His words are forced. He's trying to go by the books, which upsets me more. King Christopher makes speeches off of his heart, not from paper. He never writes them down.

We all wait for him to speak.

"I am holding a contest." King Christopher finally looks up from his feet. He looks at everyone he can and his brown eyes are dark when he says.

"I am holding a contest for the new prince."

The crowd is absolutely silent.

Then we understand, and the crowd starts wailing. He needs a new prince, someone to have the throne after him.

The painful part is that the heir will not be his own son.

I look down and I put my hand over my eyes, trying hard not to cry. That was the equivalent of two complete strangers trying to be my parents after they died.

"Oh, Chris," Lawrence mouths at the king. King Christopher meets his eyes and looks down again, sorrow darkening his face. Lawrence looks at tearful crowd and then he pulls the king aside.

I look at Ellie and Benjamin. Ellie's bawling and Piers pulls her into a hug. Benjamin looks sad and I nudge him with my hand, taking his own and giving it a squeeze. Benjamin sighs and we all give our attention back to the king, who is now walking back in front of us.

"All men older than eighteen and younger than thirty are allowed to be admitted in the contest." King Christopher says, and every single man looks up at him, disbelief on their faces. "You are required to place your name on a list and I will be in your company for the next week. Every man on the list gets one week with me, and then the contest starts."

He was going to get to know them first? Was that what he meant?

"After the week with every man is over, you will all be required to do a series of physical activities and undergo questioning with Lawrence and me." The king goes on. "After the results are tallied up, I choose the winner, and they choose their bride."

My thoughts go in millions of directions and the crowd begins to murmur in interest. The king looks at us all and says, "Instructions have been repeated to every guard and noble. If you have questions for me specifically, come find me after this meeting."

King Christopher turns to Lawrence, asking if he left anything out. Lawrence nods, giving his old friend a sorrowful look. King Christopher gestures for him to speak.

Lawrence looks at us. "No nobles of any kind are to be entered. This is a fair contest. Those who bare false witness will not be allowed to gain food." It's a harsh punishment but this was a serious matter. The king, _Corona_, needs a new prince.

"Do you understand?" King Christopher asks, and he suddenly looks very tired.

"Yes, your Highness!" Someone cries and the crowd echoes it.

The king looks at Lawrence and says, "All men who wish to. . ." He has a hard time speaking. "Please have your name written on the list within five days. The contest will start in six. Good day."

The meeting is over.

I find myself following Benjamin and Ellie off to the side. We wait for Piers, Alyson, and Eugene. "What do you think of that?" Benjamin asks the two of us.

Ellie and I exchange glances and Ellie speaks for the both of us. "It seems like it could work."

"You think so?" Benjamin asks and Alyson and Piers come up to us. Alyson is scowling at Piers and asks.

"Why don't you want to try?"

"I honestly can't picture myself as a prince." Piers says dryly. "Let some other man do it."

"But if you win, you've got Ellie and then you'd be set." Alyson says and Ellie gives her sister a sour look.

"I'd rather not." Piers says and Alyson relents. "Besides, Alyson, that's a big _if_."

Alsyon sighs and I sit on the snow while I wait for Eugene. Piers looks down at me, his hand going to the hat on my head. "How are you, Chocolate?" he asks me.

"I'm all right." I say though I can't keep my eyes open. I sigh sleepily and lean against someone's leg.

* * *

><p>I awake in someone's arms.<p>

They're walking slowly, as if not to jostle me, and I look up at the snow that begins to fall.

"Oh no," I moan and the person holding me chuckles. "Not more snow."

"It'll ease off in a bit." Eugene says. I look up at him and strain to see his face.

"Is she awake?" Alyson asks nearby in the dark.

"Yep." Benjamin answers for her.

I grab at Eugene's chest. "Are you going to join the others?" I want to ask. I hold my tongue and relax, enjoying the sensation of being carried by someone I know.

* * *

><p>Eugene sits down next to me in front of the fire. I look at him from the corner of my eye; Pascal and Maximus curl up beside me.<p>

His light brown eyes are looking at the fire and his hands are held out in front of him. Occasionally, he rubs them together. For a fleeting moment, I wonder what they would feel like in mine. Are his hands soft or rough with calluses like the man's from that night?

I find myself staring at his lightly tanned face, made a pretty sunset orange in the face of the fire, and I turn to the flames in front of me. I still feel a bit off since the blow to my head. Ellie had made sure that I eat three meals a day.

I rub my hands together, still in disbelief about the falling snow, and then Eugene nudges me. I look at him and he asks me, his voice questioning.

"What do you think about his announcement?"

I don't know how to answer. "It's. . . Something else."

"Yes, it is," Eugene agreed and in sync, we both turned around, looking for Piers and Benjamin. The Sparrows had retired early but Piers and Benjamin were nowhere to be found.

"They don't loot, do they?" I ask shyly.

Eugene shakes his head. "Piers couldn't do it, and I think Benjamin knows that everyone hardly has anything to take. Besides, Ben's a nice guy."

The tension leaves me and I relax. "I didn't think they could," I say honestly, "but. . ."

Eugene nods in understanding. "I know." He says and his eyes go to my face. "You look a little clear today."

"I don't feel all that clear." I say and my hands go to my lap. "But, um, thank you?"

"You're welcome." Eugene says and then he turns back to the fire. "Sorry about you having to leave your house."

"It's fine." I say, and Eugene shakes his head.

"No." He protests. "It isn't. You should be able to go home whenever you want to."

"I don't mind." I say.

Eugene shakes his head again and looks at me. "A young woman shouldn't ever be afraid to be home alone. I think you'll be safer here with us." He doesn't look away from my eyes. "I don't want you getting hurt anymore." He says, surprising me. "You're important to everyone in this house."

I open my mouth to say something, some sort of witty remark, when Eugene stuns me into silence.

"You're like a princess." Eugene says and his words bring back memories of Mother and Father. I smile, trying to hide the grief that makes my eyes burn.

Eugene sees the tears. "Did I upset you?"

"No," I say truthfully, "I, um, you reminded me of my parents."

Eugene's eyes dim. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." I say and look at our pets who both look away when they see my eyes. "I'll see you in the morning, all right?"

Eugene nods, sad, and to make it up to him, I say, "Maybe we can play chess sometime?"

He smiles and says, "Whenever you want."


	9. Dreams with Purpose

Chapter Nine

It turns out that Eugene's suitcase had held his chess game. I never found mine since the first looter after I had met Eugene. I pause for a second in the game.

Ever since Eugene had reappeared in my life, looters had been appearing in my house. There had only been two, but two looters was a coincidence right?

I look down at the pieces, regaining my focus. I glance up at Eugene to find his face dark as he was concentrating. Eugene moves up a space and I move my piece.

Ellie looks down at our pieces and she _ooh_s. I give her a look, knowing what's about to happen. Eugene gazes at the pieces and looks up at me, arching an eyebrow as he moves again.

Piers and Benjamin watch, almost interested, and then I move up. Eugene takes my piece and says, "Checkmate."

"No!" I cry and then Piers, bored and exasperated, knocks the table over. The game falls down with a _crash_ and we all look at Piers.

"Peter Grey!" Ellie says sharply and Piers looks at her, boredom in his blue eyes.

"Aw, Piers, why?" Alyson looks at him and he waves his hands erratically.

"She lost."

"No, I didn't!" I cry.

Piers looks at me and says calmly, "Sweetie, you had three pieces left."

I huff playfully and then I'm running at Piers, knocking him over. "I could have done it!" I say teasingly and Piers begins to wrestle with me. Alyson and Benjamin help Eugene pick up the fallen pieces.

"No, hun, you couldn't." Piers says and I start screaming in laughter when he rolls me over and starts tickling me. I start laughing and then Piers is gone.

"You'll hurt her chest!" Mother cried and tried to pull Father away. "Stop it, your Highness!"

I sat up, looking at the two of them. "I want Father to!" I say and begin to bounce. "Hurt my chest, Father! Do it!" I was eight, young and innocent.

He started tickling me again and Mother started laughing when she saw my face becoming red. She surprised me by pulling Father away and her hands going to his sides.

Mother began tickling Father and I climbed off the bed, joining in. Father fell over and the two of them crushed me. Pascal mewed nearby, happy at our laughter, and all I could see are their sparkling green eyes when I free my head from under Father's chest.

"Are you all right?" Mother asked me breathless.

I nodded eagerly and then I cried out in glee. "Do it again!"

I blink and find myself sitting outside in the snow. I have tears on my cheeks and I touch them, my eyes going around me. When had I gotten outside?

I think to the happy memory and I hold it close. I still have no idea how much time had passed since my parents had died. I miss them terribly and lately, the smallest gestures have reminded me of them.

"You okay?" Eugene asks behind me. I turn my head and I manage to nod. I turn away and I know Eugene is shaking his head at me again. He joins me on the snow and looks at me. "He's sorry."

"He didn't do anything." I say. I hate how moody and sleepy I've became.

"Rapunzel," Eugene says to me, "would it help if you talked about it?"

I feel my voice shake. "They were my _parents_." I know Eugene understands but the fact that he wants me to try to talk about _them_ makes me want to try and go home again.

Eugene looks at me in my peripheral vision and he says gently, "I'll start."

I say nothing and give him my undivided attention.

"My mother was a head shorter than me. My father and I had eye contact for years. I have my mother's cheekbones and my father's eyes." Eugene said. "You try."

"All of that?" I look at him in panic.

Eugene shakes his head and a cold breeze makes me shiver. Eugene scoots closer to me and pulls me into his arms. "Don't want you to freeze your nose off."

I look up at him and say, "Same for you." I put my hand on his face as if to cover his nose from the snow. Eugene suddenly tilts his head up to kiss my hand and warm tingles shoot through me.

"Go on." He says after a moment, trying to act as if he hadn't done anything.

I pull my hand away from his face and turn toward the snow-covered road. The Sparrows and I seem to live in the outskirts of the square. Here, the roads are wider and the houses are spread out more evenly. The houses by the water mountain and around it seem to be closer together and the cobblestone roads are narrower.

"Stop stalling." Eugene teases and I start.

"Um, I have my mother's eyes." I say. "And my father's nose. My hair changes in the summer."

"To what?"

"Gold, my father said." I say and I think of my father's bright, wonderful smile.

"More." Eugene coaxes.

"Mother gave me Pascal when I was five."

"More."

"Father taught me how to play chess." I say and then add, "He also taught me how to win."

Eugene chuckles behind me and says, "One more."

"Um," the last memory I have of the two of them together has my eyes beginning to water. "They died a week apart."

Eugene makes a sad sound and then he's pulling me to my feet. He pulls me into a hug and says, "Sorry for your loss."

"Yours too." I'm not the only one in Corona who lost parents.

Eugene stands next to me and holds me close. We stand there for the longest time, and I'm positive I smell of his spicy cologne when we finally pull away.

"Thank you, Eugene." I say, sniffling. My lips have gone numb and I run my tongue over them.

Eugene smiles, a nice double curve without teeth, and leads me inside.

* * *

><p>I awake to the sound of a door being kicked open.<p>

I lurch off my bed and I immediately feel the dresser behind me for matches. I light a taper and peer around the room. I'm alone.

I walk toward the living room as I hear snarling. The house is illuminated by a full moon's light. I rush toward the fire, my eyes going around the living room and then I see who the looter is.

It's Eugene.

I take a step backward and frying pan drops from his hands. It falls next to Maximus who watches us with eerie brown eyes that turn a strange light blue.

"Hi, Princess," Eugene begins to walk to me, ignoring my hands going out in front of me. He manages to grab one of my hands and pulls me to him.

My hand in his is behind his back and I can't pull away. One of his hands goes to stroke my hair and we have eye contact when his lips meet mine. I tremble and try to pull away, gasping at his advances.

I fall backward onto something soft and Eugene joins me, his lips going back to mine and his voice whispering my name. I try to keep my breathing steady only to close my eyes tightly when I hear clothing hit the floor.

I jolt awake and my hand goes to my forehead. Pascal mews beside me and I turn to see that my prince has joined me under the covers. He looks up at me and blinks his Mendel green eyes.

"Oh." I say breathlessly. It was a dream. Eugene and I are just friends, but in my recent dreams, we're more than that. They consist of the same thing: I wander around in the dark to find Eugene, who somehow ends up kissing me. And then there's always a bed-

"Rapunzel?" Alyson calls on the other side of the closed door. "Are you awake?"

I look at the door and around the sunny guest room. "Yes!" I call and I sit up, my hands going to rub my eyes. "What time is it?"

"Two hours before noon." Alyson calls back. "We're going to the square today." The five days were up. The king and Lawrence now had to start the contest.

"Okay." I say loudly and I go to the washroom.

I pull on a dark blue dress and put my brown cloak on. I yawn and chew on peppermint, King Christopher seemed to always have some, and find Pascal waiting outside for me. I bend down to stroke his fur and then I walk to the door.

Benjamin greets me with a cup of tea and a sleepy, "Hi." He and Piers were always going out to get firewood with Eugene. I had no idea why Benjamin was still sleeping over and, I hated to, but I assumed the worst. Benjamin had lost his parents and his younger sister. I had to because he never talked about them. No one brought up his little sister and I knew better than to ask.

"Morning." I greet him and I follow him into the living room. Everyone is up and ready to go.

"Good to see you." Alyson says to me. "How are you?"

"Fine." I'm cramping and while I'm not irritable, it's a bad time to have monthlies. I bundle up in bed only to wake up sweating and feeling disgusting. I feel a realization make me pause.

The dreams make sense now. Usually when I'm near or on my monthlies, I have all sorts of lusty, awkward dreams. And since Eugene was Eugene, and I. . .

_Oh._ I feel a blush color my cheeks. I was dreaming about Eugene. . . For a reason. . .

"Uh oh." Eugene says, looking at my face. "Don't tell me you're getting a fever." Eugene pushes his way past Piers. His hand goes to my forehead and my eyes meet his. An uncomfortable surge of heat makes me flush and look away.

"Ah, no," I say and pull away. I turn to Ellie and take the bucket, my bucket, from her hands. Both of her eyebrows raise when they go to me, asking me a question. I blush and not turning around, I say, "Come on everyone."

I lead the way into the snow and take a second to rub my warm cheeks. _I am blushing because it is cold outside_, I tell myself.

A lie.


	10. Contributions from the Illegitimate

Chapter Ten

The king and Lawrence stand side by side though there are more people standing behind them in gold robes. _The nobles._ I realize. Matilda stands among them, her skin contrasting nicely with the gold fabric.

"Greetings once again." The king says and he looks at us. He actually looks at us as people and not faces to count. He peers at our souls with one glance. "The list is completed," he says, "and I noticed that not every man put his name on it."

The crowd is silent, almost sheepish, and King Christopher smiles.

"It's all right." He says. "Being prince isn't an envied duty at times," His last words are sad, "but I have no choice."

The crowd says nothing and the king goes on. "I'll read out the list of names and Lawrence will hand you your paperwork." Paperwork? I felt almost worried for the men.

Lawrence smiles invitingly at the crowd and then he takes a slip of paper from a noble behind him. I wonder why the nobles are out. There aren't nearly as many as they used to be.

Lawrence calls out names I don't know, but most of the names are familiar to a certain extent.

"Eugene Fitzherbert." Lawrence says.

I can't make myself look at anyone around me. I stare straight ahead and allow a tiny smile twists my lips.

And then Lawrence calls out a name that makes me go pale.

"Derek Nichols."

* * *

><p>The nobles disperse into the crowd, asking certain men for their names and pulling them to Lawrence. Lawrence, smiling, hands the men their required papers. I watch the organized madness on the side and then a perfume that I'm all too familiar with washes over me.<p>

Summer waves her hand in front of my face and I look at her. "Hello?" She asks rudely. "Pay attention!"

"I don't pay attention to demons." I say tartly and Summer grows frustrated.

"I suppose you don't pay attention to your wedlock friends either." She snips and I glare at her. "Some of them are on that list. Aren't you surprised?"

I ignore her and then she pushes me backward. I hold onto my bucket tightly, reigning my anger in control, and Summer takes a look at my face.

"What happened to you, Punz?" She tips her head to the side. "Get into a fight?"

"Yes," I make myself say calmly.

"Did you lose?"

I shake my head. "Nope."

Summer gives me an odd look and then she surprises me by grabbing my hand suddenly. I nearly pull away, but I don't. Summer looks at my long sleeves and rolls up my right one. She eyes my wrist.

"Where did this come from?" Summer asks me, the rudeness all gone. She actually sounds curious.

"I got burned when I was little." I say tightly and pull away. I roll my sleeve back down. "Why don't you ask if you can touch me first next time?"

"Touchy." Summer says, giving me a sour look. "I always heard about you got burned. I heard that you were tossed in an oven."

I want to knock her in the snow. "That's not how it happened."

"Maybe you were held under an open flame? You got father problems?" Summer goads me, and my little shred of decency for her is all gone.

I hold my breath and clench the handle of my bucket tightly. _Summer's not here. _Summer is though, and she goes on, saying all sorts of things that I remember.

Someone comes to my rescue. "Can't you leave her alone?" He says and I turn around. It's Hagen. His blue eyes spark angrily at Summer and she gives him a sour look.

"Wedlocks unite!" She cries and then she laughs bitterly. "All right, Hagen. What do you want?"

"Leave Rapunzel alone." Hagen says firmly and I look at him and then Summer. "If you're not going to be nice, then walk off."

"Hmph." Summer puts her hands on her hips and glares at him. "What are you going to do about it?"

"I'll bash your head in." Hagen growls and something in Summer backs off. She gives him a look, looking less threatening, and scowls. She walks off and Hagen looks at me. It was an empty threat and we both knew it; Summer didn't. "You okay?"

"Thank you." I say to him and look up at him. He is big, bigger than Eugene and King Christopher. He looks like he can hurt someone, but he is quite the opposite. Hagen has a big heart, and bigger hands. He used to be the blacksmith's son until the plague. I had no idea who would take his father's place other than Hagen, it was right thing to do.

But Hagen is a wedlock like me. I have no idea if his father had bothered to train him in his craft if his son wasn't deemed legitimate.

"How are you?" I ask him and Hagen makes a so-so face. Grief suddenly clouds his eyes.

"Not all of us made it." He says and I look down at my feet.

"Who?"

"Harry and Susie." Hagen says and I sigh.

"They were the brightest of us."

"That's what makes it hurt." Hagen sighs and I sit down on the snow, something I had been doing a lot lately. It's not comfortable considering that I'm on my monthlies, but I'm tired of standing.

I look at Hagen beside me. "Are you Corona's new blacksmith?"

Hagen smiles and I break into a grin. "Something like that."

"Congratulations!" I beam and hit him with my bucket. "That's great!"

"It is." Hagen agrees and then his blue eyes go to the crowd of men by the nobles, Lawrence, and the king. "I'm glad I'm not on the list. I've got enough to do."

"How so?"

"People need new locks." Hagen says and he scowls at his words. "Landon and I are going to work together. He has plenty of steel and I have plenty of tools." Landon is another wedlock, the cousin of one of the locksmiths.

"Where are his folks?" I ask and Hagen doesn't say anything. "If you see him, tell him my condolences."

"Sure thing." Hagen says. Despite his loss and Landon's, I'm glad to see that wedlocks are going to be contributing to Corona. "What about your parents?"

"They're gone." I say and something in me breaks when I say it.

"Sorry to hear." Hagen says and he looks around. "You should be happy to know that Gabe and Ida made it."

I nod, trying to smile, and Hagen sighs. "But I still miss the ones who didn't. It's hard to think about it sometimes."

I hum in agreement and then I wonder what's taking everyone so long. Are they all trying to ask the king questions?

"How's Pascal?" Hagen asks, his inquiring tone reminding me of Father; I stomp on thought and I give him a fond look.

"He's at home." I say and then add, "At Ellie's."

"Why aren't you at home?" Hagen asks, concerned.

I look away when I say. "My home isn't safe."

"Oh." It takes a second for Hagen to understand. I feel him stiffen beside me and then my pretend older brother is gazing at my face, at my bruises and cut lip. "He attacked you?"

"He wanted something that was already gone." I say and look at Hagen's sparking eyes.

"Who was it?" Hagen asks and I shrug.

"I don't know. He was drunk." I say, trying to calm him down. Hagen doesn't have a short temper but he is protective of all of the wedlocks. He is the oldest, older than Gabe by just a year. Ida is the same age as me. Harry and Susie were brother and sister, and Susie had been the youngest, an innocent fifteen. Harry was seventeen, the same age as Ida and me.

"Doesn't matter." Hagen says gruffly. "I'll find him."

I feel panic arise. I stand up and Hagen looks up at me from the ground. His dark hair is covered by a wool hat. "No need to do that."

"He hurt you." Hagen says, climbing to his feet and looming over me. "No one hurts my little sister."

"He was drunk, I think." I say, thinking to the alcohol that had clung to the man's clothes.

"Now you _think_ he was drunk." Hagen rolls his eyes in disbelief. "Just let me find him."

"I don't know what he looks like."

"Did he talk to you?"

"Um." I cringe at the memory Hagen's question brings.

"Rapunzel?"

"Yes." I say finally and turn away. I feel eyes on us now and I try to ignore them. _We're just two wedlocks talking. Carry on._

"What'd he say?" Hagen asks, his voice becoming hard.

"Something insulting." I answer.

"You hear or see him again, tie him up, and come get me." I want to laugh at his words but then I remember the looter's words and the laughter dies away.

"Okay." I say and Hagen turns me to him. His eyes go to my cut lip and the anger that darkens his face makes me a little nervous. "Hagen?"

"Yeah, I might kill him." Hagen whispers to me. "Find me right away, all right?"

"All right!" I cry and push him away. Hagen chuckles at me and then his eyes go around at the crowd.

"Were you waiting for someone?"

"Yes." I say and sigh. "But you go on home. I'll see you around."

"Be safe," Hagen watches me sit back on the snow.

"You too."

* * *

><p>When everyone finally finds me, my lips are blue from the cold and I can't feel my fingers.<p>

"Aw, Chocolate!" Ellie cries in dismay. "You should have went on home."

"Nope." I say with numb lips. "What took you guys?"

"Piers was curious." Benjamin says crossly and I climb off the snow. My hands go to my lips and I blow on my heads. They're numb. Thawing them will hurt furiously.

"Let's go before we lose our noses." Alyson says and looks around.

* * *

><p>Maximus knocks me down when we arrive. I stroke his head, laughing, while Ellie sets water to boil. When it is warm, Benjamin pulls me away from Maximus and pours out some water in a bowl for me.<p>

I head to the guest room and dip my icy cold hands in the warm water. I don't feel the water at first and I wait, wiggling my fingers.

Then the water starts boiling my fingers and I yank them out, "Oh! Ow!" I cry and wave them. I rub them on my dark blue gown and leave the washroom.

I sit on the bed and hold them close to me, wincing at the pins and needles filling my hands. I lay down as I wait for my fingers to feel better and I jolt up when someone knocks.

"Dinner's ready." Eugene says on the other side of the closed door.

"Just a moment!" I say and pull off my cloak. I lay it on the bed and my eyes find my things, piled up in neat clumps, on the other side of the wall.

Mother's perfume was over there, in the chest next to my clothes. I take a few steps toward it.

"Rapunzel?" Alyson knocks. "Are you coming?"

"Yes!" I answer.

I try not to think about my parents for the rest of the night.


	11. Behind the Moss

Chapter Eleven

I look down at Pascal and put a finger to my lips. We are walking to my house. I'd be damned if I couldn't go _my_ house.

"We'll be right back, okay?" I say and squint, looking at the Sparrows' closed front door. The air is cold, but there isn't a breeze. The sky isn't cloudy and I like to think that the snow will finally melt and spring will be here.

Pascal mews once and I scoop him up, holding the lantern out so I can see. We are sneaking out, and it's been a week since the king's announcement of his contest. Hopefully the king is on the second man now. Only twenty or so men are on the list, but strangely the numbers dwindle and some names are crossed out. I only know this from Lawrence, as he had posted the list on the palace's gates.

Maybe some people aren't ready for to be prince.

I met Landon at Hagen's little shop yesterday. Ida and Gabe were with him and we all had reunited tearfully. I had been late to dinner because that was the day I had also checked the list. No one asked where I had gone, but I knew they wondered.

I stop in front of my door and I try to steel my nerves. I open the door and quietly close it behind us. I set Pascal down and I take the knife out I had put in the hood of my cloak.

I call out. "Who's there?"

I hear someone reply and I know where they are. I walk to the kitchen, hearing Pascal growling, and I hold up the lantern.

They're investigating the cupboards and turn around. He has a nose bigger than most and scruffy dark hair. He grabs his lantern off of my counter and says. "Hi there."

I state the obvious. "There's no food."

"I know." He says and he looks at the knife in my hands. "You've been attacked, haven't you?"

I nod jerkily. "What does it matter to you?"

Big Nose looks at my face. The bruises are gone and my lip has healed; I'm not sure what clued him in when he says. "I reckon it was a man."

I say nothing and only jerk my head at the front door.

"I think I might know who it is." Big Nose says and I stiffen, taking cautious steps back when he walks to the living room. He sits down on one of the loveseats and pats a spot.

I stay where I am and only say, "What do you want?" He seems to want to stick around.

"I think I know who he might be." Big Nose says. "William Stabbington, or Wilkin Stabbington. They're looters in this area."

I think to the ginger twins, how big they are, and how quick the man had been. "Maybe." I say. "But I've never heard them talk."

Big Nose shrugs and offers, "I could take you to them. You could get some answers." _That's a trick if I ever knew one._

"No thank you." I say and then Pascal growls again. I turn back to Big Nose. "Are you alone?"

"I was." Big Nose says, giving me a sour look, and then he stands up, holding his lantern tightly. "Let me know." He says.

I escort him to the door and then he asks. "Why did you come alone?"

When I don't answer him, he grabs my arm. "A young woman like you," he says in confusion. "You're not safe alone."

"I know that."

Big Nose shakes his head under the moonlight and he says, "No, you don't."

I pull away from him, disapproval on my face. Big Nose says. "Most men don't care for a woman." He insists. "And a woman who's a wedlock is a different matter entirely."

My voice is venomous. "Get out."

"Just trying to help."

"You weren't doing that when I found you in my house."

Big Nose huffs, amused. "Good to know you're fierce."

I begin to walk away when Big Nose grabs for me again. He tugs me to him and tells me in a hard voice.

"You really shouldn't go anywhere alone. Not now, not ever." He says to me. "Not until the king's contest is over."

"Why?" I hiss and pull away. I know why, but I want to hear him explain himself.

His words make me freeze up. He says to me in the dark. "You're on Summer's list."

* * *

><p>I surprise the others by cooking them a break feast of porridge made from corn meal and cups of peppermint tea. I make sure everyone get their fill and Benjamin thanks me graciously.<p>

"I'm surprised to see you up before one of us." He says lightly and laughing. I give him a playful nudge and hand Maximus and Pascal their food.

"Where you going?" Ellie asks me. She's seen me edging away to the door. I want to go see the list in the square. I decide to be honest.

"Just to the square." I say as light as I can. I like being around my friends, but sometimes I just want to be alone. Being alone in my house after the death of my parents has made me used to be alone. I don't want to ignore my friends when I feel a longing for solitude. I disguise it as going on long walks and missing dinner, dinner that Ellie needs.

"Alone?" Benjamin gives me a stern look.

"Just for a bit." I say and then look at Pascal. "He's staying too."

Pascal looks up at me and mews, eyes narrowing. He looks at Maximus and then at me, relenting. I smile at my friends, beginning to turn away from them, when Eugene says.

"Let me come with you."

I turn back and shake my head. "I'll be back for dinner."

"Yup." Eugene says and leaves the table. He looks back at the Sparrows and Piers. Benjamin crosses his arms together. "We'll be back for dinner."

"Eugene-" I say and the look Eugene gives me stops me. His eyes are sparkling with excitement and he purses his lips at me.

_Trust me,_ his eyes are telling me.

I sigh again, acting bothered, and look at my friends.

"We'll be back for dinner."

* * *

><p>I walk next to Eugene in the snow. The sky is clear and I squint up at the sun. "It seemed brighter when we couldn't see it."<p>

Eugene smiles beside me. "Maybe it wants to say hello."

I shrug and say. "I did want to go to the square."

"I believe you." Eugene says reassuringly.

"Then why aren't we going there?" I ask, uncomfortable. Monthlies are a bother. I almost despise them.

"Who says we're not?" Eugene asks cockily. I turn to him, stopping. Eugene stops walking as well and I gesture around us.

"We crossed the bridge, and now we're in the middle of nowhere." I say. I look around us for a moment, turning back to Eugene and giving him a look. We're standing in the middle of the woods. I've never been outside of the bridge and I'm lost. I can only hope Eugene knows the way back.

"Rapunzel," Eugene says to me, looking at me in amusement.

I cut him off, growing anxious. "Are we lost?" I begin to walk in the opposite direction, hopefully the way back. "Eugene, how do you know we're not lost?"

"Why do you ask me now if we're lost?" Eugene seems amused.

I whirl around, breathing heavily. "What do you mean 'why do you ask me now'? Are we lost _now_?" I cry and Eugene shakes his head in amusement. He grabs my hand and begins to pull me along. "Stop it, Eugene. We've got to go back."

"Why?" Eugene stops and looks at me. His light brown eyes seem more hazel today. He's enjoying this.

"What if we get lost?" I ask, worried. Eugene gazes at me while I go on. "We could get lost, and never find our way back, and-"

He cuts me off. His eyebrows arch in puzzlement. "Have you never been outside of the bridge?" Curiosity fills his voice.

"No." I answer and then a new wave of anxiety makes me fidget. I pull away from him. "Is it obvious?"

Eugene holds up his hand and pinches the air. "A little."

"Oh no." I moan and put my head in my hands.

Eugene chuckles and grabs me again, grabbing my wrist. He pulls me off into the original direction we were going.

"We won't get lost."

"How do you know?" I ask, worry still in my voice.

"I know this place like the back of my hand." Eugene says and I have no choice but to follow him.

* * *

><p>I try to start a conversation. "Um. . . How are you?"<p>

Eugene turns to me and he smiles. "I'm all right. You?"

"Fine." I say and then I cringe in my head. There has to be something we can actually _talk_ about. I look down at the snow under my boots and then around the woods.

The snow is pretty. We are the first in the woods since the plague arrived. I can only assume so because the snow looks untouched. I walk past a tree, its leaves dotted with frozen dewdrops, and I stroke the forst-bitten wood, my eyes going around me in wonder.

Winter was really pretty when it wasn't taking lives.

"Are you really worried about getting lost?" Eugene asks me. His voice breaks the awkward silence. I look up at him, my red cheeks darkening when I realize that he is looking at me, and nods.

"I-I. . ." my voice is beginning to shake, I am still not used to talking about my past. "I was a sheltered child, you could say."

Curiosity clouded Eugene's face and he seems to debate asking me something. I walk, silent, until he says. "Rumors are for liars."

"What?" I look at him.

"The rumors about you." Eugene says. He gives me his full attention. "I'm sure you don't want to know what they're about-"

"I know what most of them are." I say and I become bitter. "Some are that I'm a witch. Some are that my father burned me on purpose when I was little. Some are that I'm not a citizen of Corona, which is true to an extent." I go on. "Some are-"

"That you're as ugly as a toad." Eugene interrupts. I look at him and he gives me a soft glance. "I disagree with that one."

I don't know what to say other than, "Thank you."

Eugene shrugs and smiles. "Rumors are for liars." He says again. I scoot closer to him, hoping he won't notice.

He lets me walk next to him, our shoulders brushing, and I want to grab his hand and hold it in mine.

I don't, but I let myself think about it.

* * *

><p>I follow Eugene past the moss and wonder makes me stop walking. It's a tower, a tall brick tower. The bricks are lavender and white, almost the color of snow. I gaze at the tower in absolute awe, and Eugene grabs my hand, tugging me along. In my awe, I forget how to use my legs.<p>

"Isn't it great?" Eugene asks me. I tear my eyes away from the tower and I nod eagerly, enchanted.

"Can we go in?"

Eugene smiles and says, "We sure can." He keeps my hand in his and my eyes go back to the tower. "Hey, watch out for the-"

My boots become slippery off of a sudden and I fall forward. Eugene catches me in his arms and rapidly takes a few steps back. He collapses with me on top of him. For a second, we both don't move.

Then we start laughing. Eugene pulls me to him, asking through chuckles, "Are you all right?" I nod fiercely, my cheeks warm and pink. I try to sit up and then I realize how I'm on him.

The giggles that explode from my chest are cheerful and sweet. They taste like sugar on my tongue and my heart feels like it's soaring. I'm grinning as I roll over, still giggling. My hands go around my chest as I laugh and I look at Eugene. He rolls onto his side, facing me. His light brown eyes are glowing and he looks at me in a soft, wonderful way. The laughter suddenly dies away and all I can see is Eugene's handsome face.

He breaks the silence with light words. "I've never seen you laugh so much."

I try to smile and Eugene grabs my hand again. He gazes at me with those pretty light brown eyes of his. I hold onto his hand and watch him get to his feet. He pulls me up and gestures to the tower.

I take a second to brush snow off my shoulder. Something soft shines on Eugene's face and he brushes snow off my hat. I blush and return the favor, wiping the snow off his shoulders and chest. My blush darkens when Eugene takes my hat off and gently sweeps snow off my hair.

When he's satisfied, he pulls my wool hat back on and rubs the side of his head. His light brown eyes are gazing at me in a warm, odd way.

"Shall we?" He asks and I smile. Our hands drift apart and I follow Eugene to the back of the tower. There's a part of the tower that is covered in frostbitten ivy. Eugene carefully tugs the ivy to the side and gestures for me to climb inside.

I stand around in the cold tower and I gasp at the warm, homey feel that fills the chilly air. It makes me think longingly to the days where I played with Pascal in front of the fireplace and Mother and Father cuddled on the loveseat, reading aloud happy stories I had long ago forgotten.

Eugene smiles beside me and my eyes go to the empty tall bookshelf. There are stairs that led up to a room and I look at the tiny kitchen and the dusty tables. Someone used to live here.

"Where are they?" I ask Eugene, meaning the tower's original occupants.

Eugene shrugs. "This place has been empty for years." I gaze at him in disbelief and Eugene says, "I came here when I was fifteen."

"Oh." is all I can say. I follow Eugene to the wall and find that there's a tiny window. I hurry past him and yank the window open. I sigh in pleasure at the view.

The tall trees are covered in snow. I squint and see the golden brick bridge –it's covered in snow- of Corona. I look back at Eugene, pleased that we are indeed _not_ lost, and admire the rest of the woods.

"What a view," I say softly and Eugene smiles beside me.

We both turn back to the rest of the tower and I look at the bare walls. Excitement makes me fidget. Eugene hums beside me, "Hm. Okay."

I glance at him. "What?"

Eugene smiles, catching my gaze, and says, "You're going to want paint, aren't you?"

I smile in curiosity. "How did you know?"

Eugene says nothing and only taps his head, still smiling. He goes to the stove and spends time searching through the cabinets. "We'll get a fire going eventually."

"We're coming back?" I squeak in astonishment.

Eugene's light brown eyes appraise me. "Of course." He says firmly. He pretends to act confused. His eyebrows lower over his eyes and his lips purse together. "Don't you want to?"

"Of course!" I begin to bounce around. I hop back to the window and turn my head. I'm a little taken aback when I realize that Eugene is inspecting the book shelves. "Do you see any books?"

Eugene shakes his head and mumbles something.

I glance at him, unsure if he was talking to me. "Hm?"

Eugene glances at me and says, "I was thinking something over."

I give him a curious look and Eugene's lightly tanned cheeks turn a light pink. "I'll tell you when I've worked it out."

I shrug, trying to seem slightly uninterested though I'm still curious. "Okay." My eyes turn back to the window.

Eventually, Eugene taps me. "We've got to go back."

I turn to him and I can't hide my pout. "Okay."

Eugene smiles at me. "You like it here, don't you?"

I say nonchalantly, "It's nice."

Eugene's smile grows wider, making his light brown eyes shine. "You love it." One of his dark eyebrows arch. He's daring me to disagree.

_I think I love you. _The thought he doesn't know makes me smile. I can't love Eugene, not when I hardly know him. I've never seen Eugene at his worst, and lately I don't think he's seen me at my best. The fact that I have yet to really know him makes me feel uncertain yet excited at the same time.

I think I want this. I want _something_. I'm not entirely sure what it is yet.

A second has passed since the thought crossed my mind. I swallow nervously.

He grabs my hand and a smile of affection surfaces on my face, "I do love it." I say and my arms itch to pull him into a hug. I look at Eugene, summon up my courage, and try to wrap my arms around his big torso.

"Thank you for taking me here." I say happily into his chest.

Eugene's arms slowly, slowly go around me. He sighs into my hat and says, "It was my pleasure."

When we pull away, I see his eyes sparkle in a completely different way. We begin to walk back to Ellie's, and before we push past the cave covered in moss, Eugene grabs my hand.

I hold onto it gently, and I hear him sigh again. It's a light, airy sigh. It reminds me of how Father sighed whenever I caught him in one of my fierce hugs. It's a sigh of happiness.

I think Eugene is trying memorize how my hand feels in his. I squeeze his hand for a moment, and I engrave the feeling to memory.

His hands are soft, free of calluses, and warm. Somehow they remind me of our chess games.


	12. Summoned by Summer

Chapter Twelve

I'm trying to gather snow in a pot when it happens again.

Eugene's warm eyes and bright smile fills my mind, making me drop the pot. I let my gloved hands rest in front of me and I lean back onto my rump, abandoning my crouched position. I smile at nothing as I think of his hand in mine, and the glow in his eyes as he glances at me.

I have to shake my head to scatter the happy thoughts before I grab the pot again. I make my gloved hand into a fist and pound the snow. I scoop up the crushed snow and place it into the pot.

Ellie wants to make stew, but we need water, so I gather snow and melt it in her fireplace. Piers and Benjamin have made daily trips to the square for food, and Eugene busies himself with getting acquainted with Pascal. Alyson lets Eugene teach her how to handle Maximus, and everyone seems lighter as the days go on. Busy lives mean less time to focus on what we've all lost.

I still take my walks, though they're less frequent. I spend my time getting snow for Ellie, who insists she cooks terribly, and playing chess with Eugene.

A snowball lands on my face and I put my hand up to my red cheek. I glance at the snow-covered road and see Ida. Ida grins, balling up snow in her gloved hands. I look at the empty Sparrows' house –everyone's at the square again- and look at Ida's bright face. Hagen and Gabe stand behind her, gathering up snow.

I ditch the pot and scoop up snow. I ball it quickly and toss one at Gabe. Gabe shouts, "Hey!"

I call, "You were going to hit me anyway!"

Hagen guffaws when Gabe gazes at me, playfully indignant. Ida's blue eyes sparkle just like Hagen's, they could have been related. The only difference is that Ida has long blond hair that flows to her lower back.

Gabe throws a snowball at Hagen's chest and Hagen winces. He throws his snowball at Gabe, and they both look up when Ida and me attack them.

Gabe catches Hagen's eye, and then Ida and I are running. "No, no!" We cry when they tear after us. I snatch up a glop of snow and hurl it at Hagen. Hagen keeps running and then he snatches me up, barreling me over.

"Run, Ida!" I shriek and start laughing when Hagen tries to shove snow on my face. I hear Ida scream and then Gabe is laughing heartily. I cry out. "Ida, you're supposed to be running!"

Ida laughs in delight and then Hagen is knocked off of me. I sit up and scream when Ida throws snow at my face. I lurch up to knock her over and Gabe drops a ton of snow on my neck.

"Ah, ow, cold!" I exclaim and Gabe starts laughing harder. I end up sitting on top of Ida watching Gabe run straight to Hagen and knock him over. I grin when Hagen yells out, and then Ida is shoving me into the snow.

"Goldie, no!" Gabe cries for me. "Ida, get off of Goldie!" They're referring to my gold hair that I have in the summer.

"Come and save her then!" Ida giggles and I try to roll her off me, laughing.

The games continue for quite a while. When we finally stop flinging snow at each other, our hands have gone numb.

Ida sits up, covered in snow, and stares at me. "I can't see your angel anymore." She pouts. Her blond hair is dusted with snow.

Gabe eyes Ida's snow angel. "Aw. You always make such nice angels." He was right. Ida's petite form made her snow angels elegantly small, like they were life-size hand-crafted engravings.

We look at Hagen's snow angel and burst out laughing. Hagen's long arms mangled the wings as he brought his arms back to his sides. His angels' wings always looked so long and, well, sort of odd.

I look at my angel and sigh, "Oh no," I can't help but grin. I rub snow over him and look at my fellow wedlocks. "How'd you guys get here?"

"Hagen told me," Ida says. "I told Gabe."

Gabe smiles, his red auburn hair clashing beautifully with the snow. "I got the idea to come here," he says, his voice reminding me of our days at the lake. His dark hazel eyes are hard to see.

"Landon?" I ask and everyone frowns.

"Busy week." Ida says before Hagen can answer. "Everyone's asking for a lock."

I hum in understanding and crawl to my pot. During our games, it filled up. I turn to my friends and grin, gesturing to the pot.

"Ooh! I've got a trick for you!" Gabe says in ecstasy, standing up to join me at the pot. "Salt makes it melt faster."

I gape. "Really?"

Gabe nods and then he looks at the sky. It is dark now, almost dusk. He looks at the empty house behind us. "Where's the Sparrows?"

"They're at the square." I say, and then I'm nervous. Why had they been gone so long?

Hagen's blue eyes go to my face and he says, "We can stay with you until they come."

I grin and say, regretfully, "That's all right. I've got enough to do."

Gabe looks at Hagen's stubborn face and at me. He digs around his waist and pulls out a dagger. "Here," he says happily, "have a knife."

I hide my amused, touched smile too late. Gabe places the blade in my limp hand and Ida asks.

"Did you have that on while we played in the snow?" Her eyes spark. If Hagen's protective, Ida's the worrier.

Gabe looks at Ida and says, "I did, yes, ma'am."

Ida asks my next question. "Did you cut yourself?"

Gabe now winces. "I did, yes, ma'am."

We're all quiet with seriousness for one second before we start laughing. Gabe laughs nervously and I look at the handle of the dagger. Immediately, my eyes swell up and I'm giving it back.

"This was your father's." I say and swallow.

Gabe looks at it and at my eyes. "It's mine now." _Of course it is_.

I place the dagger in one of his hands. "Take it back."

"Goldie-" Gabe protests.

"Take it back!" I cry and I watch Gabe's hand squeeze around the dagger. Gabe places the dagger back in the belt and gives me a hug. "It's yours, Gabe." I say.

"I want you to use it."

"And I want you to keep it." I say. I then try to laugh. "There are plenty of knives inside."

Gabe pulls away to give me a look, and I smile, trying to deter him. Gabe finally nods, and Ida says, nervous from the tension.

"I'm hungry."

We smile and Hagen says, "All right, Ida, let's get you something to eat."

I wave them goodbye, giving Ida a tight hug, and watch them walk off on the snow. I turn to grab the pot and I let myself in the house.

I turn to lock the door behind me and I go to the fireplace. I grimace at the extinguished fire and find myself looking for Piers' flint. I make a spark land on the log and the logs light up in orange flames.

I let the fire warm up the logs before I set the pot on the burning wood. I go to one of the washrooms and look at the melting snow on my clothes. I ease off my cloak and gown before pulling on my nightgown.

Walking past my things, I pause. I peek in the living room at the fire, and then I rush back to my things. I pull the comforters aside and I pick up the glass bottle with a painted, dark blue _P_ in the middle.

Primrose, that was my mother's name. I take off the cap to sniff, and I let the happy memories wash over me.

"Mother," I said to her as she pleaded with me. "It gets too hot."

"But," Mother demanded, "why would you cut it?"

I looked at the scissors in my hand and then at Mother. Her green eyes are begging. I turned back to the mirror and eyed my shoulder length locks. I was eleven, and tired of thigh-length long hair.

My resolve was wavering. "It gets too hot."

"Well, um," Mother saw my indecision, "we could trim it."

"That's what I was trying to do." I protested and Mother laughed, dissolving the tension.

"There's a difference in a trim, and an ear-length cut." Mother said stubbornly. I let her take the scissors from me and I watched her set them down. As soon as the scissors were away from me, Mother visibly relaxed. She sighed in relief and rubbed sweat from her forehead.

I caught her in a hug and asked, "You were worried, weren't you?" Her pleading confused me.

"I was," Mother confessed, her arms going around me. Her perfume hit me nose in a pleasant rush. "I didn't want you to cut it."

I was confused. "Why?"

Mother laughed softly. "Your hair is so pretty, it'd be a shame not to see it on your head."

_Oh_, I felt silly now. My arms squeezed her tighter and then I was smiling. "Okay."

"Okay?" Mother asked in bemusement.

"I won't cut it." I said and I heard her hum in content. "Ever." I added. "I won't cut it ever again."

Instead of saying something like, "You don't have to do that," Mother said happily, "As you wish, your Highness."

I pulled away and broke into a smile. Mother's eyes softened at the smile on my face and she pecked my forehead.

Looking back, I realize that I have kept my promise. I have it braided every day, so no one really sees how long my hair is. I am sure Matilda saw how long it was a few times. My hair sits in a braid around itself most of the time, like an awkward hat. I had taken the braid a loose once, it laid straight down my back, hence why that man had been able to yank me around when I had came home from the square that day after meeting the king.

It was easier to have it this way, but now I question it. Besides being a little more easier to control, long hair was easy to grab, I missed having my hair down. Why had I pinned it up anyway? I must have done it once years ago and it became a habit.

I put Mother's perfume away and I go to the living room, rubbing away goose bumps. All of a sudden, I can feel how heavy the braid is on my hair. Sitting in front of the fire, my hands go to my hair.

I untwist the braid and feel it fall onto my back. My hands tug at the ends of the braid, and then it's over. Before long, all of my hair is a loose and curly from being braided so often. I go to my room and pull out my comb. It was a gift from Father, and it has my gemstones in it.

I comb my hair relatively straight, and I go to the washroom to look at it. My hair is wavy now, still chocolate brown, and it falls right at the back of my calves, a several inches above my ankles.

I turn my vigilant eye back to the cooking snow and I peek at it. I run to the kitchen to get the oven mitts and I set them nearby. If Ellie doesn't come soon, I'd have to go outside to get more snow, which of course, makes the boiling water cooler.

I hear a knock on the door and someone calls, "Rapunzel?"

"Just a moment!" I walk quickly to the front door, my hair streaming behind me, and my hand goes to the doorknob, resting there. I get up on my tip toes, suddenly nervous. I only unbraid my hair to bathe. What will they all think?

I stall. "Ellie?"

"It's us," she reassures me through the door. "We're back."

I swallow hard and look at the dark hallway I'm standing in. I haven't lighten any candles, so they won't be able to see me too clearly. "The water's boiling," I say, but suddenly I'm not hungry anymore. Butterflies float around in my belly.

"Nice to know," Benjamin says, almost cross. He had a right to be irritated, I was still stalling. "Can we come in?"

I gulp and say, "Sure you can." My hand unlocks the door and I back up as the door slides open. I take a step back, into shadows, and watch everyone stream in. I think they're all holding items, but I can't see them.

Alyson closes the door behind her and everyone looks around. "Rapunzel?" Piers asks.

"Hi," I say, my voice low. Eugene turns and looks right at me, though I know he can't see me. I suddenly can't speak. "D-Did you come home okay?"

"Yes," Alyson says and she gazes at me. "Why are you in the dark?"

I can't lie, but I'm too nervous to be honest. "I, um, don't feel well."

"Oh," Eugene says and I struggle with the urge to take a step back. His hand is reaching for me, for my forehead. "Do you want Mattie to-"

"No!" I cut him off before he can finish. Matilda had enough people to worry about. "I-I'll be okay tomorrow."

Piers clucks his tongue. "Um," he's uncomfortable, "are you going off to bed?"

"Yes!" I cry, almost relieved. I try to control my voice better. "I'll see you in the morning," my voice is low.

Benjamin gazes at me in the dark, and now all of them are staring though they can't see me. I can't see them too well either. "Well, okay," Benjamin says awkwardly. "Good night."

"Good night." My body is burning with guilt. It's a simple thing, letting them see my hair, but I can't do it.

* * *

><p>I wake up with a heavy head. I sit up and my hands go to my braided hair. I sigh and look at the closed door. I rub my eyes and go to the washroom.<p>

I'm shocked when I walk into the living room.

Eugene and Piers are wrestling on the floor with two strangers. Ellie and Alyson are watching on, anxious. Benjamin has someone pinned to the wall and Maximus and Pascal has cornered someone in front of the fire place.

My voice is shrill. "What's going on?"

Everyone looks up at me. Eugene and Piers stop, and the men under them sit up, gazing at me. I'm surprised to see that they are identical twins, both have ginger hair and blue eyes. The man Maximus and Pascal has cornered has a big nose and he glares at me.

Benjamin's man gazes at me and he says, "You're supposed to come with us."

Eugene snaps, "The hell she is."

Big Nose peers at me. "I warned you."

My voice is hard now. Hostility makes me fidget. "Summer told you to come here?" _How does she know I'm living here?_

"Sure did," one of the twins says. It's the Stabbington Brothers, William and Wilkin. I can't tell them apart. Benjamin and Piers are looking at me in confusion. Eugene and Alyson look angry, and Ellie looks scared. Concern for my friends makes me angrier.

"Why?" I demand and go to Benjamin. I poke him and he backs off of the man. He has burly arms and interesting light hazel eyes. His hair is dark, ink black.

I look around at Eugene and Piers. They give me identical worried looks and release their men. The Stabbington Brothers stand up, and Eugene, agitated, whistles. Maximus backs off, which makes Pascal relax. His fur is still bushed out and Maximus takes a few tense steps back. The men assemble together in front of me.

The other man, Maximus' and Pascal's, has broad shoulders and tight biceps, reminding me of Hagen. His dark hair is scruffy like Big Nose's and his eyes are dark brown.

"Don't know why," the man says to me. I look at his face to the other man, and then at Big Nose.

I narrow my eyes and Big Nose gazes back, eyebrows lowered. I tear my gaze from them and look at my worried friends. "I'll be-"

"You're not going with them." Piers says sternly. He's boiling under his skin, I can see it.

I start again, "I'll be-"

"You're _not_ going with _them_." Eugene says coldly. Something in his voice makes me falter. His light brown eyes are dark, and full of hostility. I want to ignore his tight expression, but I can't.

I turn to Ellie and Alyson, shocked to see their gray eyes are full of anxiety. My voice shakes. "I'll be back."

Ellie sniffles and nods. Alyson looks at the men and then at me. I know what she's thinking. _I'll be okay_, I give her a look. She nods finally, and I turn to Big Nose.

"Let me change," I say and walk to my room. I lock the door behind me.

I dig around under Mother's comforters and pull out Father's dagger. I find a thin scarf and tie it around my lower thigh. I tuck the knife in the scarf, abandoning the sheath, before getting dressed. My braided hair is not an issue, so I pull on a hat that matches my pearly white gown. I tie my dark brown cloak, and then I walk out of my room.

Everyone is standing around, thoroughly uncomfortable. I look at Eugene and then at Big Nose. I put on a brave face and say coldly, turning away from my concerned friends, Pascal, and Maximus.

"Lead the way."


	13. Stolen Peace

Chapter Thirteen

* * *

><p>I sit at her kitchen table, uncomfortable. The men are gone, or at least not in the room. Summer and Derek peer at me and Summer scoffs.<p>

"Nice gown."

I nod silently and ignore the tea Summer places in front of me. I look around her empty, sparsely decorated house, and I know better than to ask, "Where are your parents?" Like mine and so many others, their parents are gone.

Derek joins us at the table and I wait.

"You're not to become queen, do you understand?" Summer tells me.

I look up at her and I make myself laugh. "You think someone likes me enough to want to marry me?" I scowl at her. "Oh, Summer, don't you know you're right?"

They listen, almost nervously, as I go on. "You were right the whole time!" I cheer. "I'm just a nobody, and I'll never amount to anything."

Summer gazes at me, stoic. "Do you know what you're saying?"

I smile idiotically. "Of course I do!" I say brightly. "But all I can say is," my voice becomes hard, "good luck on becoming a queen _yourself_ because you're such a-"

Someone's hand goes across my face before I finish.

I roar up from the table and flip it over. "Who the hell do you think you are!" I snap and glare at the two of them. I raise a shaking finger and shout. "I don't care which of you did it, but you do not lay a finger on me!"

Derek gazes up at me. "You're just a nobody."

I smile tightly at him and say, "You're bright, aren't you?" I scoff and watch him stand up. I raise my hands in mock fright and back away. "Oh no!" I cry in fake misery. "An insult! Does it hurt?"

Derek's eyes narrow. "Shut up."

I wave a hand at my face, goading him. I was so sick of the two of them. "What are you going to do?" I whimper. "Are you going to hit me?"

"Shut up." Summer says next.

I look at her, my mouth open, and then I turn to Derek, furious. "Can't fight your own battles?"

His hand goes across my face again, but somehow I keep going. All my anger is spilling out. "Ow!" I shout in fake dismay. My hand goes to my red cheek. "That _really_ hurt!"

"Shut up!" Summer screams and I turn to her. I began to jump around, ecstatic.

"My, my!" I say grandly. "You're a queen, Summer Nichols!" Her eyes are full of rage as she stares at me. "You can't lose your temper! Your peasants might riot and overthrow you!"

"_Shut up_!" Derek shouts and I put my hand to my mouth. I stay where I am and I make myself sniffle. Derek's face is red and Summer's eyes are boiling. I swallow hard and then I make myself sniffle again, looking away.

"As we were saying." Summer started and I look at her. "You cannot become a queen. If we see you with anyone, necking or whatever filthy wedlocks do in affection, we will end that immediately."

My hand flies from my mouth and I cry out. "Oh, you will, won't you?" I shout. "Because _you_ control _me_!" _The hell they're going to spy on me!_

"Hey," Derek says in a warning tone. I look at him and then a sincere, but hurtful question makes me grin. Derek looks at me, almost daunted, and I turn to gaze at Summer. She stares back, and I see a flicker of anxiety darken her still boiling eyes.

I look Summer in the eye and I drop the basket on her. "What will you do if your man wins and he doesn't pick you?"

Pain fills Summer's eyes and she screams at me in a wordless rage. Derek punches me so hard I lose consciousness.

* * *

><p>I blearily open one eye, feeling sick.<p>

I sit up in the cold, feeling for my cloak. My cloak is still tied. My hands go on various places of my body and then I feel the cuts that mark up the skin on my face; one cuts burns more than the others. I groan and turn my head to the side, squinting.

I can't see anything. It's darker than ever, which doesn't make sense. It was afternoon when I got to the Nichols' house.

_Where am I?_ I can't feel the blade poking me anymore. I had cut my leg earlier bouncing around like I had, and now the knife is gone.

_Oh no_. Had they found my knife and cut me with it? Fury makes the ache of the cuts ebb away. I climb to my feet and my hands touch snow as I fumble around. My finger gets sliced on something and instead of crying out, I remain quiet. I run my finger along the blade and grab the handle.

Something thin lies beside the knife and I pick it up. It's a note, and I can't see what it says in the dark.

I swallow blood and begin to walk, pulling on the hood of my cloak. My hat, gloves, and boots are gone. I'll be numb within minutes. Summer and Derek took my clothes, but left the knife and cloak. _What an odd, aggressive bunch_, I think sourly.

Within an hour of walking, I can't feel my hands or feet. I stagger down the road and then I trip over something. I had done a lot of that in the past few minutes.

I pry myself off the ground, catching my arm on the knife, and get back to my feet. The breeze is nonexistent, and the sky is clear and moonless. _What a night to get lost._

I start walking again, and then I feel the tears on my face. Somehow, my misery leaks out. I don't feel guilty about what I said to Summer, not yet anyways. She had every word coming, and though I wish Derek didn't hit me, he had to hear what I had to say.

I swallow more blood, I must have bitten my tongue, but I can't feel it, and walk on. My vision becomes blurry and I blink rapidly. I bump onto a fence and back away a few steps. I look at the house and then I smile.

I'm at my neighbor's house. Their fence has somehow remained standing. I'm next to my house, and I'm almost near the Sparrows'.

I make myself walk up the hill to my house. I collapse on the snow and gather my breath. My chest heaves quite a bit. I haven't walked so long in months, and walking up a hill didn't do me any good. I know where I am now though, since I'm sitting right in front of my door.

I get back to my numb feet and walk to the Sparrows' by memory.

* * *

><p>My hand goes to the door and it rests there for a moment. I'm starving and swaying on my cold feet. I began to lose feeling of my knees a little bit ago, but now I'm home.<p>

I knock hard on the door, slowly losing my grip on the knife and paper.

Piers shouts. "Rapunzel?"

I can't shout back, so I try to knock again. I feel my body lean forward and within seconds, I'm lying again the door.

Alyson asks, wary now. "Rapunzel?"

I focus on breathing evenly, my chest is trying to freeze, and I swallow. The door slides open and everyone's unprepared when I fall face-first onto the floor.

"Rapunzel!" Ellie screams and then hands are tugging me off the floor. I groan as the cuts brush against fabric. Someone gasps when they hear my groan. I'm set down in front of the fireplace and everyone gazes up at me. Candles are everywhere, and one is held up to my face.

"Chocolate?" Alyson asks when I don't say anything. I make myself look at her and she crouches down my level like Eugene and Piers. "What happened?"

I suddenly break into a weary, bright smile. "I made them mad."

Their laughter is dark. Benjamin gives me a thumbs-up while Eugene and everyone else still look worried. Piers begins to wipe at my face. Everyone frowns when they see the arcing cut that starts in front of my ear and drifts down to my jaw.

"What?" I ask fuzzily when Piers pulls the cloth away.

"U-Uh," Ellie says, her face dark. "I-I think one needs stitches."

I grimace. "Nice of you, Summer." Everyone looks at me in confusion and I say, "She didn't want a wedlock to be queen." I can't say anything else on the subject. "She must have cut me to. . ." I falter.

To what?

Ellie swallows and catches Alyson's eye. "I've got to stitch that up."

I look at her and then I'm looking past them. Ellie disappears with her sister and Piers goes to the kitchen. Benjamin fetches me a flask of something I don't know, and Eugene stays right next to me.

"What is this?" I eye the flask.

Eugene answers. "I reckon it's something with alcohol in it."

I look at Benjamin. "Why," my words are choppy because now my cuts really hurt, "are you giving me this?"

Piers calls, "Stitches hurt like a. . ." He wants to curse, but he censors. "A lot," he finishes, "so you'll get drunk before you have them done."

I look around for Ellie and Alyson. "Where did they go?"

"They want to make sure you're wasted." Benjamin states and I watch in awe as Piers brings in more flasks. "It'll make you heal slower though."

I'm full of misgivings. "I've never been drunk before."

Piers speaks. "It's, um, odd, but fun, if you do it right."

I'm confused and Eugene senses this. He takes the flask from me and looks down, unscrewing the cap. He hands it back to me and says, "Drink up."

I look at the liquid inside, and then at Benjamin and Piers. They nod in sync, encouraging me.

I take a sip from the bottle.

* * *

><p>I start laughing when Ellie comes back. "Oh no, here she comes."<p>

"Oh, ha," Ellie says tartly. Her eyes are full of nervousness. She looks at Benjamin and Piers. "How drunk, would you say?"

Piers thinks about it. "She'll be mad as hell when she wakes up. Hangovers are terrible."

Alyson joins me on the loveseat and places a towel on my collarbone. She looks at my messy braid and says, "Do you ever let it down?"

"I tried last night." I say truthfully, "but I didn't know what you guys would think, so I faked sick and went to sleep." I then sigh. "I'm hungry."

"You undid your hair yesterday?" Benjamin asks, distracting me. Ellie picks up a candle and places a needle in the flame.

"I did," I say and I sigh. "Mother never wanted me to cut it, and I haven't, so it's long. Really long."

"Hm." Eugene hums beside me. "Why haven't we seen it?"

"I didn't want you to." I say and I start laughing. "I didn't know what you'd do."

"I'm sure we'd like it." Piers says convincingly.

I give him a look and then I say, "You know who I like?" I grab Eugene's hand. "This man right here."

"Oh, really?" Ellie looks at me, grinning, the needle forgotten.

I hiccupped. "Yep, he's great." I say and look at the empty flasks. "I drank a whole lot of that."

"You did." Benjamin states, smiling at me. What's he smiling about? "It's surprisingly hard to get you drunk."

I pause. "I'm drunk?" I think it over and I grin. "Yep, I'm drunk."

Piers loses it and starts laughing. I turn to Eugene and tell him, "I'm drunk."

Eugene grins, amused. "You sure are."

I smile and then I look at his lips. Everyone is a little orange in the candlelight, and his eyes look like a warm dark brown. _He's so handsome_. My lips go to his and then Benjamin's clapping. I smile around his lips and pull away.

"Drunk love!" I shout and Benjamin loses it next. He starts laughing so hard, he nearly hurts himself trying to breathe. Eugene gazes at me in absolute worry and affection, Ellie gazes at me in absolute amusement, and Alyson gazes at me in absolute delight.

Piers tries to regain his composure. "Rapun-" He starts laughing again.

I glance at him, sad. "What's so funny?" I ask and then I think about my parents. "My folks were probably drunk when they conceived me. That would explain a whole lot."

Ellie frowns, saddened, "Aw, Chocolate. . ."

"I mean, I guess it's okay." I say, wavering. "Mother and Father did seem happier when they had me, at least that was what Mother's mother said."

I rub my eyes, picking up another flask. "Drinking is for sad people." I say and take a deliberate sip. "Let that sink in for a second."

Alyson looks tearful now and Eugene, giving me a gentle look, takes the flask away. I look at it and then I look around. "Pascal!" I scream which makes everyone jump.

My cat comes running and he hops onto my lap. I pet his fur and say, "You know something? You need a nice lady cat to keep you company."

Piers is calmer, sadder now. "What?" He asks me to elaborate. Ellie's taking a long time to get these stitches done.

I look at him. "We all need someone, you know." I say. I turn to Eugene. "I've got him," I turn to Ellie. "You've got Piers."

"And. . ." I turn to Alyson and Benjamin. I give them both a look and they both blush. I then finish my explanation. "Problem solved." I declare.

"Rapunzel?" Ellie grabs my attention.

"Hm?" I hum.

"Be still." She says. "I'm going to put it in now."

I pout and Alyson hands me the flask again. Ellie lets me take a big gulp and I close my eyes.

The first sting is quite a sting. I swallow hard and hold my breath. The second one hurt just as much, and the third one makes me want to scream.

When she's done, I can't see anything because of tears. I groggily take another gulp and somehow slip into sleep.

Eugene and I sit at the kitchen table. He looks at me in pity and then he says, "We've got company."

I tip my head to the side and then I see them.

My parents stand in front of the table, faces bright with smiles. Immediately, my eyes fill with tears and my chest burns. I swallow hard and I stand up.

Eugene blocks me from running out of the room by handing me a flask. His eyes pierce mine. "Drink," he says soothingly.

I look at my parents with blurry vision and I take a sip.

I sit up with a jolt. My hand goes to my head and I wince at the ache. _If someone knocks me out one more time_, I'm boiling with rage. Something had to be done about Derek and his group of followers. Odds are, those men looted my house and everyone else's.

I look at the light streaming in my room and then I climb off my bed. I walk into the empty kitchen and look at the note on the table. I know it's the one from last night because of the blood smears on it. There's a strip of gauze wrapped around my finger and I know there's gauze on my face on top of Ellie's stitches. I don't want to touch them.

Instead, I touch the note as my eyes read the words.

"_Keep messing around and we'll get them too_._" _The notes says.

Them.

My friends, wedlocks definitely and everyone else maybe.

I whirled around, feeling a sense of paranoia, and I swallow hard. I refuse to let them get to me. I leave the note on the table, wanting to show everyone else and burn it, before heading to the cabinets.

Something had to be done about the Nichols.


	14. Frustrating and Dangerous

Chapter Fourteen

Alyson looks at the note and she stuns me by getting to her feet and punching the nearest wall.

Benjamin says seriously, "Calm down, Piers Number Two."

She turns back to look at him, gray eyes sharp, and Benjamin visibly backs off. My hand goes to my bandaged cheek and I can feel it throbbing. The last thing I want is more herbs to take, so I want to endure it in silence. No complaining, no nursing it, no-

"Does your cheek hurt?" Ellie looks at me.

I shake my head and look at vigilant Pascal and Maximus. I smile and walk over to them. Pascal pads to me before I reach them and he brushes against me, getting up on his tip toes. I crouch down to stroke his ears and then I hear everyone start talking all at once.

I glance at them and listen, my hands still rubbing Pascal's ears.

"Who do you think she means?" Piers asks.

Eugene shrugs. "Everyone she knows."

"Maybe not." Benjamin says.

Ellie protests. "Summer knows Rapunzel. She knows everyone Rapunzel's been with. She's got eyes everywhere."

"Who told them she was here?" Benjamin asks and everyone gives each other hard looks.

"No one here would sell her out." Piers says, frowning. Benjamin looks unconvinced.

Alyson blinks. "Maybe it became obvious after a while." She says reasonably. "We all walk home together now."

"True," Ellie says and she frowns. "Who would Summer get to next?"

"The wedlocks." I say. They all look at me, shock on their faces. They forgot my presence, which isn't surprising.

I grumble. "Rapunzel is right here," I raise my hand with my words. Everyone blushes.

Benjamin recovers the fastest. "Your friends?"

I nod, and then I think about it. My face goes still as I ponder. "She would catch them off guard." I knew how Summer operated. What bothers me is what she'll do to them.

"Where do they live?" Eugene asks, and I shake my head. "What?"

"I should go alone." I say and everyone shakes their heads.

"Yes, I should." I say stubbornly. "They don't know you." _Or trust you_.

"Rapun-" Eugene protests.

I shake my head and get to my feet. "I'll be fine. _They_ won't hurt me." We all grew up together.

Piers and Benjamin exchange a look, and I look at Ellie and Alyson. "Please?" I ask, willing to get on my knees and beg.

Ellie caves in, but Alyson remains firm. "No," she tells me, "not by yourself."

I begin to walk to them, ready to argue about it, when my head suddenly throbs. _Hangovers are awful,_ I grumble internally.

I give them all a mean look and stalk to my room, slamming the door behind me.

* * *

><p>Mother shook me awake. "Come on, Rapunzel," she said to me.<p>

I felt sick with queasiness and I protested. "Mother, I don't want to go outside."

"It's cold out," Mother said, grabbing both hands and pulling me upright. "You'll feel better after you clear your head."

I opened my mouth to say more. I forgot my words when I saw Father in the threshold of my open bedroom door.

Father walked up to me on my bed, green eyes dark with something I don't know. He scooped me up in his arms and I held Mother's hand as we walked outside. It was humid and chilly out, not entirely cold. Being inside in the rain made me feel stuffy and trapped. Being outside made it ebb away, but I always felt groggy falling asleep.

Within moments, the discomfort flew away as I became lucid. I sighed and Mother and Father began to whisper in relief. However, an expected, sudden rush of grogginess took away my awareness, and I fell asleep before we walked back inside.

In the light of a bright, dry morning, I was back to my usual cheer. I turned to Mother and Father, scooping up Pascal.

"Can we go outside?"

* * *

><p>I quietly tip-toed around my sleeping friends. They had all worked themselves out, it was still afternoon. I was dressed in a different pair of boots, with a new wool hat and gloves. I make a violent, angry promise to myself: <em>If I see Summer, I am going to knock her out.<em>

Bright light filters into the room when I peek out. The sky is clear, a bright, lovely blue. I can't see a cloud anywhere, and the sun looks almost too bright as it shines on the snow. I look at Maximus and Pascal, who pad quietly to my side. Maximus nudges my hand, and I smile.

_I've got bodyguards_. I smile at Eugene's beloved dog and my prince. I go to the cabinets to grab some sort of treat, when I hear someone yawn. I glance at their sleeping place and I see Piers stirring. I swallow hard and we quietly leave through the front door.

I take my chance and start running in the snow. Clumps of snow seem to lift me up, and I feel like I'm flying as I run. There's a soft, gentle breeze that makes me grin despite the sting of it.

Maximus and Pascal dash behind me in cheerful bounds. I run the whole way to Ida's house, and I'm breathless and happy when I knock on the door.

The door opens and I see Ida's huge blue eyes gazing at me. She grins in a way that doesn't touch her eyes, and I'm tugged in. She opens the door wider for Maximus and Pascal, and they walk in after me.

"What happened?" I ask, seeing the worry that darkens her face. Ida holds up a finger to shush me and she takes my hand, leading me to the kitchen. Before we walk in, she tugs me to the wall and we stand there, hiding.

"Gabriel," it's Derek. They're here, telling Gabe and Ida the same words I heard yesterday. I can't hear what he's saying because my blood starts boiling.

I glance at Ida and she keeps her finger to her lips. I nod silently and I look back at the kitchen, wanting to see Derek's face so I can imagine punching it. He and Summer had no right trying to tell us how to live. Though Summer had her reasons to worry, what were the odds of wedlocks being chosen to be queen?

Wait. Gabe's a lad. Why is Derek-

"Oh," my thought finishes and a pitiful exclamation leaves my mouth.

In the same second, there's the sound of flesh hitting flesh and Maximus barks. Ida stiffens and then I hear Derek yelling. Ida is right behind me when we rush out.

Gabe is on the floor, bleeding from his nose. I'm shocked to see that Derek and all his men from yesterday are there. Hagen is standing nearby, his blue eyes boiling. Landon, tall, dark, and formidable, is glaring at Derek with hostility shining in his dark brown eyes.

"What the hell is going on here?" Hagen asks, and then I see the snow on him. It's melting, meaning he just got here, and had stood around listening like Ida and me.

Derek turns to look at Hagen. "We're not having wedlocks in the palace." He snarls and then he looks at Ida and me. A wicked grin lights up his dark face, and I have to swallow the urge to take a few steps back.

"You forget," Landon says calmly, "that you can't-"

"_I_ can do what I want." Derek says, interrupting him. Derek's dark eyes pierce Landon's body. Landon stands tall, chin up, unflinching. It seems that old roles haven't been forgotten. Ida's the worrier, Hagen's the protector, and Landon's the fighter.

"And we can't?" Hagen snaps, and I go to Gabe's side. I allow myself to glare at Derek and my eyes go to Gabe's face. His face is bruising around his nose and I grab his hands, pulling him to his feet. He staggers, dizzy, and I gently pull him back to Ida while Hagen and Derek go back and forth.

"You're wedlocks." Derek says. He says it with a breezy voice that oozes disgust.

"And?" Ida demands and I feel the color drain from my face when _all_ of Derek's men, Derek included, look at her. They say nothing, and I feel sick when I look at how they're looking at her. I give Gabe to Ida and I step in front of her, blocking their vision.

My insult flies out of my mouth. "Pigs."

They all turn to me, anger on their faces. Big Nose snaps. "What was that?"

I open my mouth to say it again when Gabe's hand goes to my mouth and shushes me. Derek looks at us and then looks at his men. They all start laughing, and then Landon cracks.

"Get out," he says forcefully. Derek exchanges a glance with his men and they look at Landon in curiosity.

"What if we don't leave?" The man with light hazel eyes asks.

Landon grits his teeth, exchanging a dark glance with Hagen. Something about that look makes the both of them taller, darker, and meaner. I stiffen at their transformations and watch Hagen brush past Derek to the front door. He yanks the door open and holds it.

"Out." Hagen growls.

Derek and his men exchange another glance, I can see the plots forming in their eyes, and then they walk out without a word. Hagen slams the door behind them so hard that the frame shakes.

We turn back to Gabe. Wooziness makes him wobble and everyone gasps when he suddenly collapses.

"Gabe?" I cry and rush to him. I pull his head onto my lap and Ida goes to the cabinets, yanking out items I can't see. Landon runs into a completely different direction and Hagen gets down with me, eyeing Gabe's bleeding nose.

"Damn," Gabe groans, "he. . . knocked. . . me. . . senseless."

I'm filled with relief. Ida tosses a role of gauze at me. I unroll it and rip off a strip, balling it up to wipe at his nose. Hagen takes it from me and Landon rushes over with a cloth.

Something makes my hands tremble. I freeze up, holding my breath as I gaze at my injured friend. All I can see is the red blood on Gabe's pale face and the darkening violet bruises that grow darker by the second. I don't want to lose someone else. Tears make Gabe's bloodied face blur.

"He'll be okay," Hagen tells me gently, breaking the spell. I sniffle and look up at him. Hagen hands me the cloth and I wipe at Gabe's upper lip and nose.

"S-Sorry," I swallow.

"It's alright." Hagen says and I glance at him. "Just breathe. You're a pretty shade of blue right now."

Hagen is right. Stuff like this used to happen all the time. I should be calm, not shaking.

I inhale and then my eyes catch sight of Landon. He's pacing, aggravated. "Damn Nichols," he mutters. His dark brown eyes go to Gabe's face and he grimaces. "Damn Nichols." He says again, angrier.

Gabe opens his eyes and winces. I hiss, "Sorry," and try to wipe more gently.

"No, no," Gabe says to me, his dark hazel eyes full of wooziness. "Did he break it?"

Ida freezes from running over with another soaked cloth. "Break what? Your nose?"

"Yeah," Gabe says and Landon and Ida walk over. We all peer at his face and break into smiles. Gabe stares up at us, at the smiles, and breathes in relief. "Thank you, God."

Hagen laughs and then he and Landon are helping Gabe sit up. Gabe swallows hard, his pale face turning white, and his hand tentatively go to his nose.

"It hurts," he says, "but that's alright."

Ida muses, "It better be alright." She says sharply and softens her words with a relieved smile. She pecks Gabe on the forehead, making us smile. "Glad you're okay."

"Me too." Gabe says and everyone relaxes. Gabe gets to his feet to lie on the loveseat, and Ida and I sit on the floor in front of him. Ida's the worrier, Hagen's the protector, Landon's the fighter, and Gabe's the joker.

"Why were they here?" Ida asks in the silence. I glance at her and I see that she is playing with her long hair. She's worrying.

"They came to my house yesterday." I say and I feel everyone pay attention to my words. I go on, "Summer doesn't want a wedlock to be queen."

"Gabe's just a lad-" Hagen says and then his thoughts follow mine. "Oh." He mumbles when he realizes what I do.

"What?" Landon asks, looking at Hagen and me.

"I'm on the list," Gabe says and then Landon gets it. He nods in understanding, and then anger darkens his eyes.

"They have no right-" he starts, but Ida interrupts him.

"They _think_ they have that right." Ida says coldly. She's becoming angry now as things make more sense. "They think the king will put one of us in the throne."

Everyone nods, and sadness sours our moods, when Gabe says, "Ha. Like that would happen." His words are hurtful, but true.

Landon and Hagen frown and then I swallow hard, my hand going to my cheek. I stand up and my legs move on their own, taking me to the kitchen.

"Goldie?" Gabe calls after me. I turn, and they all gasp when they see the redness in my face and where my hand is.

Hagen booms. "Who did that to you?"

I shake my head and turn back to the cupboards. I'm not sure what I'm looking for. I'm surprised that no one has noticed Maximus or Pascal the entire time. They've been sitting in the kitchen, tucked in a quiet corner.

"Rapunzel?" Hagen sounds closer now. I turn around only to jump back when I see that Hagen and Landon are right behind me.

"I'm not sure who." I say and Gabe scowls. He and Ida are walking to me, joining Hagen and Landon.

"Was it Derek?" Landon demands and I shake my head.

"He knocked me out," I say honestly. "Anyone could have done it."

Gabe says it this time. "Damn Nichols."

I shrug and I close the cabinets behind me. My eyes go to the windows revealing the sunset outside and I say, "I've got to get home."

Ida nods before anyone can say anything. She grabs my hand and tugs me to the door, Landon on our heels. I pull her into a hug.

"Don't go anywhere alone," I whisper. I don't like the way Derek and his goons looked at Ida.

"You too." Ida murmurs to me, hugging me tighter.

We pull apart and I call hearty, cheerful goodbye to my friends. Someone has to pretend everything is all right. Of us all, I'm the pretender, the liar, the deceiver.

I look at the bad things that happens all around us, and for everyone's benefit, I sacrifice my genuine smiles to comfort them all with fake ones. Someone has to do it. I don't like it, never will, but until I find a new role, that's what I do. I lie with my lips.

Landon gives me a hug before leading me out into the snow. Maximus and Pascal walk behind me faithfully.

* * *

><p>Because the house door is locked, I assume that they're at the square. I frown, looking at my animal friends. I roll my eyes and pull out my knife. I twist it into the keyhole and after a few minutes, the door slides open.<p>

Grinning, I walk inside and shut the door behind Maximus and Pascal. I walk to the fireplace and look at the pot of melting snow. _Ellie must be making more stew_, I think.

I walk to the kitchen when someone suddenly barrels me over. I scream and then he's sitting up, shouting over me.

"I'm armed!" He shouts. "Don't try to run!"

I scream over him. "Eugene, it's me!"

Eugene stops shouting and I look up at him from the floor. His light brown eyes peer at me and he blushes. "Sorry."

I make myself smile and Eugene climbs off of me. He helps me to my feet. "You okay?" I ask him.

"Yes," Eugene says, though he sounds uncertain. He looks at me in relief, setting the frying pan down on the table. "Since yesterday, we've all tried to be more alert."

"I'll say." I mumble.

Since we went to the tower, I can't say that I've learned more about him. If anything, I feel sort of lost now. Our chess games are fun, yes, but something about them feels less special.

Maybe it was because of Summer was always in the back of my mind. Eugene never taunted me directly, but-

_I don't know_. My thoughts are starting to jumble. My cheek hurts more than I want to admit.

"You all right?" Eugene asks me in concern.

Any other day, I would nod and wave him off.

Today, tonight, I tell him the truth. I don't want to pretend with Eugene. "No."

Eugene frowns. "Want to talk about it?"

I nod, but then I feel my cheek. "Tomorrow," I say and give him a hug. His arms wrap around me, and then we pull apart.

I'm relieved -and curious- when Eugene doesn't ask me where I've been.

Eugene lets me pull away, and I squeeze one of his hands, thanking him. He looks at me with those pretty eyes, they're warm with suspicion, and he smiles reassuringly.

He will ask me later, I can see it in his eyes. He is worried, but he'll let me get away with it.

I give him another grateful squeeze and a quiet, "Thank you," before I go to the guest room and collapse on the bed, my mind on the frustrating, dangerous Nichols.


	15. Eugene's Week Begins

Chapter Fifteen

The first thing I'm aware of is the ache in my cheek.

I sit up, my hand going to the bandage that covers the cut. I want to peel it off and inspect the damage, but it's only been a few days and the sight would make me sick.

I climb off the bed and look at my things piled by the wall. I walk lightly to my things and toss my braid over my shoulder, remembering why I wanted to cut it in the first place.

I glance at the unmade bed in contempt. To everyone else, I was still injured, so I slept in the bed while they slept on the floor. Ellie slept in Alyson's bed reluctantly.

I think about Alyson's younger sister as I sift through my things. Ellie should start her sickness spells soon, just before spring. I sniff Mother's perfume and sigh.

I set everything back to the way it was before I turn to the bed. I begin to right the comforters and Mother's bright eyes and glowing smiles appear in my mind. I sit on the freshly made bed, my hand going to my cheek.

Mother eyed the damage. "You've got a shiner."

I nodded, proud. "He punched me."

"Why did you punch him back?" Father asked, fetching a cloth from the counter. He dipped it in a basin and walked to me, crouching down on my level.

"He called me a name." I said. Father and Mother exchange glances. Mother watched Father dab gently at my eye.

"What did he say?" Mother asked, her eyes going to mine.

I struggled for the word. "Something about a window."

Mother's lips twitched into a smile. She sighed. "Wedlock?"

I nodded fiercely. "Yes!" I said and winced. "Ow!"

Father dipped his head. "Sorry, your Highness."

I leaned forward to give him a hug. "It's okay!" I bubbled and looked up at Mother through Father's dark hair. "Your Highness, what's a wedlock?"

Mother's smile vanished. Father pulled away and his eyes went to Mother's.

"What is it?" I asked, confused. They've gone quiet now. "Is it a secret?" I asked, disheartened.

Mother opened her mouth to answer when I cut her off with another question.

"Is it a joke?"

Father snapped. "No, of course not!"

I shrunk away. Father cringed and said quickly, showering my face in kisses, "Sorry, dear."

"What is it?" I insisted. "It's a bad name, I think, right?"

Mother caught Father's eye and they both turned to me.

Mother said, "Don't worry about it," at the same time Father said, "We can tell you."

Their eyes darted to each other in the same second. Father's jaw set and Mother's eyes seemed to gleam.

Pascal meowed on my lap and Mother said tightly, looking at Father. "Why don't you two go outside?"

I looked at the two of them, feeling the tension. "Okay!" I chirped and walked to the back door. Pascal flitted behind me and I opened the door, glancing back at my parents to see them both standing up, facing each other.

I closed the door behind Pascal and looked at the pleasant spring evening that awaited me.

I shake the memory away and walk to the washroom, splashing water on my face. I rub away the sleep before I change into a simple beige gown and dark boots.

I walk into the kitchen to see everyone still fast-asleep. It is noon and they're all passed out.

I smile softly when my eyes find Pascal and Maximus. They are awake, watching everyone sleep. They look up at me and Pascal's ear twitches in greeting. I smile back and go to the front door, pulling on my cloak.

I walk outside, locking the Sparrows' front door behind me. I step lightly onto the snow and begin my walk, my mood plummeting.

None of them speak at dinner.

Mother and Father glared at each other when they thought I wasn't looking. Mother bathed me quickly and rushed me off to my bed, kissing me on the cheek. She forgot to stroke Pascal, and we both watch her close the door through half-closed eyes.

I didn't hear them shout until a door slammed open.

"We can't tell her what it means, Thomas!" Mother shouted and another door slammed.

"If we don't tell her now, she'll ask later!" Father boomed. "What if she asks the wrong person?"

"Then we'd tell her the truth!" Mother cried.

Father was frustrated. "Why not tell her now?"

"She's too young to understand!" Mother's voice was shrill.

They began to shout on. I had sat up, my hands reaching for Pascal. Pascal hissed at the door and I got up, feeling detached from my body. My hand went to the doorknob and-

Something heavy slams into me, sending me to the ground.

"Sorry!" A voice says and I look up.

My heart jumps into my throat and he pulls me up.

I'm dazed for a few seconds. I regain my head and stagger into a curtsey, swaying on my feet.

"Y-Your Highness!" I gasp, looking down. My eyes go to the small crowd of nobles and Lawrence behind him. I look down again. "Your Graces," the words are clumsy.

King Christopher starts laughing. He waves me away, placing a hand on my shoulder to steady me. His warm brown eyes go dark when he sees the bandage on my face. He smiles and looks at Lawrence, who meets his eye. They both turn back to me in the same second.

"Just the maiden I was looking for." King Christopher smiles. I look at his attire and at the nobles behind him. They're all wearing thick coats and hats. My hands have been stinging since I had stepped outside. They look warm.

Lawrence grins, grabbing my attention. "Right, indeed." He looks at me. "Are you trying to catch a cold?"

I shake my head quickly, remembering all over again that my hat and gloves are gone. "No, sir."

"Then why-" Lawrence is cut off by the king.

"Never mind that, Lawrence." King Christopher says. He glances at the nobles who are looking at me in varying expressions of curiosity and disgust. Most nobles dislike wedlocks because. . . The reasons make me angry.

"Do you know Eugene?" King Christopher asks me. The question throws me off guard. I look at the nobles, then Lawrence, then the king as a realization dawns on me.

_It's Eugene's week?_ I nod and say, "He's been at the Sparrows'."

Lawrence laughs lightly, smacking the king on the arm. "A pity we didn't know that sooner. We had just walked to his house."

"Oh," I mumble, thinking about the unknown distance. "Have you walked long?"

"Only for a few minutes, really," King Christopher smiles at me. His warm smiles make me miss Father's. "Were you going to see him?"

I shake my head. "I just left them." I say and then offer, just to be polite, "I can take you there."

Lawrence looks relieved. "That would be wonderful!" He exclaims while some of the nobles look wary.

I nod and turn my back to them, leading the way back to the Sparrows'. The nobles don't like the wedlocks because to them, we shouldn't exist. We're taking up space that we don't deserve.

We're worthless.

I stop at the Sparrows' door and turn to my guests. "They're all asleep," I say apologetically. "But I can get them up for you. Could you wait-"

"Outside?" One of the nobles barks in disbelief.

An annoyed blush darkens my cheeks. "No," I say, trying to hide my irritation. "In the dining room."

The noble looks sheepish now. "O-Of course."

I nod, turn back to the door, and let myself in. They all walk in behind me and one of the nobels says, "Nice."

I look at it from their perspective. It's a commoner's house with three bedrooms. The walls are a warm shade of brown and the furniture is polished, Ellie's handiwork. Alyson keeps the hardwood floors swept clean.

There's no whiff of smoke and the air is cold. They're all still asleep.

I turn to them, "Wait here a moment," and hurry into the living room.

Piers is snoring. I begin to nudge them awake. "Wake up!" I whisper urgently.

Benjamin blinks an eye open. "What?" He mumbles.

"The king is here." I say calmly.

Benjamin reacts explosively.

He's on his feet in one second and he begins to kick Piers in the back. "Peter!" He hisses. "Peter, get up!"

Piers groans. "What the hell for?"

"The king!" Benjamin whispers, looking around wildly.

"He's outside." I say.

Benjamin's eyes dart to me. "_Outside_?"

I blush. "No, um, inside."

Benjamin looks around again. "Where?"

Piers sits up before I answer and exclaims, hoarse, "What, Ben?"

Benjamin begins to explain when Ellie yawns. "Mornin'."

Benjamin turns to her, Piers is beginning to shake Eugene, and says. "Mornin', the king's here."

Ellie's gray eyes widen. "What?" She must have slept on the floor with everyone else. She had a thing for sleeping on the floor anyway.

Alyson awakes next. She sits up, sees Piers rousing Eugene, and sneezes. We all look at her in the same instant and before she can speak, Piers is carrying her out of the room. Alyson struggles with a yelp.

"Piers, let go of me!"

"You," he growls, "will not get King Christopher sick!"

Alyson wails, trying to punch him. "How can I get him sick when he's not here?"

We all shout at her. "He _is_ here!"

Alyson goes limp in Piers' arms. "What?" Piers sets her on the ground and starts to explain. They have all realized the same thing I did. It is Eugene's week, Eugene's one chance to become prince if he wanted to.

Alyson and Piers start bickering and Ellie walks to the kitchen to make tea. Benjamin takes Piers' role of shaking Eugene awake.

Eugene finally comes to. He sits up, drowsy. "What?" He mumbles.

Benjamin loses it, frustrated. "Damn it, get up!"

Eugene looks up at Benjamin with sleepy eyes. "Why are you shouting?"

"Why is he here?" Alyson shrieks in panic and I wave my hands frantically.

My voice is high-pitched. "Guys, stop-"

"Get up, Eugene!" Benjamin shouts.

Eugene groans. "Do you have any idea how much firewood I got yesterday?"

Benjamin rolls his eyes. "Eugene, the king-"

Piers starts laughing. "I was there, Eugene!"

Before my very eyes, Benjamin and Eugene begin to get into a heated debate. Eugene is trying to lie back down but Benjamin wrestles with him. They end up rolling over the living room floor in their underclothes, wrestling.

All this shouting makes Maximus start barking. Pascal leaps at him, and I feel my frustration building.

Alyson tries to step around Piers and seeing this, Piers barks at Alyson. "You can't go in there!"

Alyson turns to him from trying to get into the living room. "And why not?"

"You could get the king sick!"

"I _sneezed_!" Alyson pointed out.

Ellie shouts at them from the stove. "Guys, stop-"

I finally scream. "Stop shouting!"

Everyone goes quiet.

I put one hand to my face. I look over at my foolish friends and mutter.

"Go get dressed before I kill _all _of you."

They're all out of the room before I finish.

I walk to the dining room where the king, Lawrence, and nobles await. The nobles are grinning, but they fix their faces when they see me coming.

My face is red from the entire thing.

"He'll be with you in just a moment." I make myself say cheerfully.

King Christopher's face is red too, but from laughing. "Wonderful." He says, giving me a knowing, amused grin.

Lawrence catches me on my way to the kitchen. "What happened to your face?" His question stops me cold.

I look at him, unsure what to say.

Lawrence goes on, his green eyes reminding me of Father's. They're the same shade and he seems to have the same long eyelashes, only his are blond.

"Cuts are bandaged. Bruises aren't." he says to me. His eyes look into mine, searching for something. "What happened to your face?" He whispers.

I struggle to answer. Lawrence waits patiently and when it appears I won't answer, he frowns. His hand reaches slowly for my face and he caresses the bandage with his thumb.

"Did Matilda fix you up?"

I shake my head. "E-Ellie." He's standing too close.

Lawrence tips his head to the side and glances down the hall.

"Is it a secret, Rapunzel?" The soft, gentle way he says my name makes me miss Father. I miss Father and I miss Mother. I miss them terribly.

Tears come into my eyes and I shake my head. I turn away and walk down the hall.

I look at the empty living room and busy myself with folding up the blankets. I set them on the loveseat and walk back into the kitchen. I make a small spread of nearly cold bread and hot tea. I set it all on a tray and walk back into the dining room. Maximus and Pascal follow me silently.

Ellie stands in a pretty gray gown. Alyson's wearing pale yellow. Piers is dressed in black boots and pants, a white cotton shirt, and a gray vest. Benjamin's wearing dark cream pants, a white cotton shirt, and dark boots.

Eugene is wearing bucket-top boots, dark cream pants, a dark blue vest, and a white cotton shirt. I've seen him wear it every day. Does he not have other clothes?

The nobles see my very small spread and one scoffs. Still, most of them smile warily and say, "Thank you."

I know as soon as I set it down that they will not touch it. They think I tainted it with passionflower.

I smile back and nod, "You're welcome."

The king turns to Eugene, smiling invitingly, and Piers takes his chance. He looks at Ellie and the rest of us. "Wanna go for a walk? This'll take-"

"A week." Lawrence finishes. He smiles at Piers and says, "I doubt you'll walk that long."

Piers smiles and the king looks around the house. "Usually. . ." he says with authority. We all lean in to hear his soft voice. "We go to the house of the man and invite all of his household guests to the palace for a week."

Alyson and I gasp in surprise. Since the king was talking to Eugene, we all get to stay in the palace for the duration of that time? It's almost too good to be true.

One of the nobles shakes his head. "Sir, one of them is a wedlock."

King Christopher turns to the noble. I finally remember his name. He's Reynard. "And?"

Reynard starts to speak, but one of the nobles nudges him. King Christopher, satisfied, turns to me. "It won't be a problem." He says reassuringly.

Relief makes me smile. Three of the seven nobles frown and my smile vanishes.

Suddenly, I'm back with Grandma, walking through the square. She hands me apples to hold in my basket, and several boys come up to me.

"Did you pay for these?" They all asked me.

Taken aback and mortified, I nodded wordlessly.

"Here, gimme that." One of them reached for Grandma's basket.

"Grandma bought them." I protested and stepped away. People were staring, making me blush. Embarrassed, nervous tears made my eyes sting.

"You have a grandma?" One of the children from the group that taunted me asked. "Who'd want a wedlock for a grandchild?"

Another boy grabbed my hair while one snatched the basket from me. The basket fell on the ground. The apples rolled away, bruising.

"Stop it!" I struggled as they scooped me in their arms. They began to steer me toward the fountain. It's only when they toss me in the water that the watching civilians begin to protest.

I kicked and struggled, panicking as water went into my nose. The hands holding me down are strong for eight year olds. I was only six.

Darkness began to hide the bubbles and sunlight that surrounded me in the water. I looked up at the bubbles flying up to the surface, my lungs starting to burn.

I could hear them shouting. "Wedlock! Wedlock!"

I was about to let the darkness overwhelm me when the hands were gone. A new pair of hands, soft and hot, yank me out of the water.

I was placed on the edge of the fountain. I started coughing, tears blending into the water that streamed from my hair and face.

Grandma's green eyes filled my vision. "You're okay, darling." For once, seeing her green eyes did not pacify me.

I pulled away from her, shrieking. "Why would they do that? Why did they do that?"

I turn away from the nobles and say to Piers, "I'll be back at sunset."

I march out of the Sparrows' house and down the road, trying to calm myself down.

_Wedlock or not_, my eyes went to the house that held the nobles, _why treat a person like they don't have a right to live?_


	16. The Sweetest Rose

Chapter Sixteen Summer's Point of View

* * *

><p>She didn't even look where she was going.<p>

I was trudging along, carrying the box full of full glass jars, and she walked right into me.

"Hey!" I chide, glaring at Rapunzel. "Watch it!"

Her green eyes go to me and her jaw clenches. "Sorry," she says through her teeth. Seeing her riled up makes me smile.

"What's up with you? Missin' your folks?"

Rapunzel glares at me and walks right past me. I turn to watch her go, amused.

Cheered up, I begin walking again. It had taken a long time for me to find this woman, the one Derek claimed got Landon's younger sister killed. I don't know why Derek bothered with a sibling of Landon's anyway. Landon was a wedlock and Eden was too.

It was sunset when I reached her cottage.

I shift the box awkwardly, rising my fist to knock. The door opens before I put my hand to the wood. I grin and call, "Derek'll be surprised."

The woman croons. "I bet he will." Her gray eyes go to the box. She was all about her ingredients. "Got everything, Miss Nichols?"

"I wouldn't be here if I missed something." I point out.

She guides me through her home. The fire is hot and the cauldron sits in the middle of the fireplace. Her home is nice, warm at least. Otherwise, it's a complete mess. The place smells of spices, smoke, and dust.

"Someone needs a maid or two," I mumble.

Her sharp gray eyes go to me and I hush up. She takes the box from me and sets it down. I go to my cloak, tugging on Rapunzel's hat. Her gloves are too big for me. I'd have to return them later.

I place the small pouch in her hand and she tosses it aside. I'm surprised.

"You're not going to count it?"

Gothel's eyes go to me again and she scoffs. "Nope."

"How'd you know I'm not robbing you?"

She grins wickedly, startling me. "It takes magic to do magic."

What? She was magical? I smile in disbelief. "You're actually a witch?"

She mimics my tone when she says, "You wouldn't be here if you didn't think I was."

I look at the cauldron, feeling disturbed. It's too late to back out now. I look behind my shoulder at the closed door. _Mother would have never let me do this_. I find myself waiting for her to appear and when she doesn't, I turn back to Gothel.

"Run this whole thing by me again," I say with confidence. She looks at me crudely and I mumble, "Please?"

Gothel nods rather eagerly. She goes to sit down in front of the fire and unpacks the box. She glances at me when she sees the full jars.

"Good," she says, surprising me. "You want this to work for a while?"

I nod.

She laughs softly and begins to speak. She brushes her dark, wild hair back frequently. "The potion you've asked me to make is to make a man fall in love with you, yes?"

It sounds foolish coming from her mouth. "That'll happen if it works."

"Of course it'll work!" She snaps, insulted. I give her a dirty look and she goes on. Her voice is cold now. She's annoyed with me. "It doesn't work like that."

"What do you mean?" I march over, my hands in fists. "I picked all those silly flowers for you, cut them up, steeped them into tea, and you're going to tell me it _doesn't work like that_?"

The look she gives me turns my blood to ice. I shrink away, still annoyed, but timid.

Gothel speaks ominously. "It won't work like that _entirely_, Summer Nichols." She hisses my name. "The flowers are nothing but positive energy. He'll think of you fondly and nothing else. You'll have to do the rest on your own."

I put my hands on my hips. "What does that mean?"

Gothel laughs. "You'll have to be charming and sweet, nothing like yourself."

I open my mouth to retort something that'll get me in trouble when she cuts me off.

Her gray eyes go to my face. "Oh, do be silent." She chides me. "You know you're not the sweetest rose he's ever smelled. It's just the way things are."

I roll my eyes, miffed. Her smile annoys me.

"What else?" I snap. "Do I need to do anything else?"

Gothel nods and the smile disappears. Worry clouds her eyes. "Keep bringing me the flowers. If the king is to decide his prince on the first day of spring, then you'll need to come back several times."

"Right." I say dryly.

Gothel looks at me again. She gets off the floor and goes to her kitchen. I follow her silently, listening to her words. She has a sugary, sweet voice.

"The flowers will have to be tainted." She throws the words over her shoulder. "Which is something you don't have to worry about. I've got the necessary ingredients."

"Okay," I mumble.

"If he doesn't drink the potion regularly every day, he'll lapse into fits of uncontrollable rage." Gothel says casually. "Put it in a wine glass or a flask."

I knew what to do. "What else?"

Gothel glances at me. "The flowers are nothing but positive energy, I've told you this. If he figures out what's going on, his fond feelings for you, if they exist, will become negative very quickly."

This worries me. "But he won't."

Gothel shrugs, unconvinced. She grabs spices from her cabinet and hurries back to the fireplace. She begins to empty the jars into the cauldron. She leaves one of the jars full.

"How are you so young?" I finally say. Gothel looks at me, amused. "You're over eighty years old. You've been around since Mother could toddle, yet you look just over thirty."

Gothel smiles mischievously. "You're not the only one who knows where to find those flowers." She begins to mumble to herself. "They've only been used every hundred years or so. Life and death situations aren't uncommon."

I'm confused. "Eugene's not dying."

Gothel looks up at me, seeming to remember I'm present. "Never mind that," she says. She waves me over and I join her in front of the fireplace.

She begins to pour her spices into the cauldron and she looks at me. "I'll deliver this to you in the jars." She promises.

She nods at the jar she hasn't touched. "Take that one with you."

I nod and watch her stir the spices into the cauldron. She sniffs the air and adds more of the spices. When she's satisfied, she turns to the jar.

"It's best served cold," she says casually, making me smile nervously. "It'll taste a bit like chamomile tea."

I nod wordlessly. She picks up the clear jar. The liquid is dark, almost black. She smiles and begins to stir the contents of the jar. She hasn't added the spices yet.

As she stirs, the liquid begins to glow. She begins to mumble under her breath again, but it sounds like a melody. I catch the word 'flower' a few times. The gold liquid glows like a firefly. I watch, in awe.

She sets down the glowing jar and picks up her spices. She begins to sprinkle in the spices and to my surprise, the gold glow dies in the jar. The glow begins to dim and blood red takes its place. The red is glowing now, like a dull ruby.

The sight alarms me. "Is it supposed to look like that?" I whisper.

Gothel nods, looking amused at the fright on my face. "This taints the flowers."

"Why do the flowers need to be tainted?"

Gothel looks at me coldly. "This is a bad intention. You don't mess with a person's emotions. That's why they must be tainted."

I frown and say bravely. "So you being young when you should be old is a bad intention?"

Gothel winks knowingly at me. She sets the jar full of liquid ruby on the mantle of the fireplace. "One last thing." She chirps. She goes to the kitchen again and comes back with a small bouquet of the yellow flowers I had picked earlier. She looks at me and hands them to me.

"Kiss every petal." She says with intensity.

Daunted, I do what I'm told. When I'm done, she takes the bouquet away and plucks the petals off the flowers. She places two in the jar and the rest in the cauldron.

She looks at the cauldron, the potion has started bubbling, and stands up to hand me the jar.

"Best served cold." She says to me, giving me a small grin.

I nod and open my mouth. "Thank-"

She cuts me off. "Don't thank me." She says. Her gray eyes are cold. "This is the blackest magic I've ever done."

Full of fear, I ask in a whisper. "W-What m-makes y-you say t-that?"

Gothel blinks down at me. I'm a head shorter than her.

"Because if he goes without this long enough, he'll kill you." She says in a chipped voice. She sees my misgiving and says lightly, "All for love, right?"

I look up at her, feel my lips tremble, but say steadily.

"All for love."

She watches me go and calls after me.

"And for the throne! Don't forgot about the throne, you foolish girl!"

_Rapunzel's Point of View_

I walk with Piers on the way to the palace.

He's quiet and content, holding Ellie's hand. Eugene and Lawrence are leading the way, talking quietly to King Christopher. The nobles are listening intently. No one is paying attention to us.

Pascal meows by my feet. I peer down at him and smile. He hisses at the nobles and I give him a scowl. Pascal looks at his paws, mutinous.

"I didn't know you could speak cat." Benjamin says, trying to be light. We're all nervous for Eugene.

I say breezily. "I don't. Pascal is easy to read." Pascal meows in protest and I look down. "Of course you are!" I glare at him.

Alyson's not amused. "You're not mad, are you?"

I look up at her. Her gray eyes are on my face, looking for an insane smile to appear. I shake my head. "I'm not mad."

Alyson turns away. Benjamin glances at her and Ellie speaks up, irritable. "None of us are mad, Aly."

Alyson nods stiffly and walks in silence. I catch Piers' eye and shrug.

* * *

><p>We all gasp when we see the palace.<p>

It's a tall, glorious building. It looks sturdy, cold, and safe. My hands tingle when I look at the smooth walls.

Lawrence glances at us past the nobles and grins. "Never been this close?"

We all shake our heads. I can't see Eugene's face, but I know he is stunned. Lawrence leads the way inside. The air that greets me is cold, but the sight makes me feel warm down to the tips of my toes.

The hardwood floor is shiny. The halls are bathed in royal purple with pale lavender patterns. The chandeliers are tall and made of gold. The curtains are made of smooth silk. The candlelight is bright, almost as bright as sunlight, and I look around in awe.

The knights, the few that I see, are in their shining silver armor. Their helmets are adorned with purple feather and they stare at us in interest.

"Welcome to the palace," one of the kinder nobles says. He is smiling at my reaction. I recall his name quickly. His name is Taylor.

I nod, still in awe. I look down for Pascal's reaction only to see him dart down the hallway. Cringing, I run right after him.

"Wait, let me help!" Eugene calls after me.

Pascal dashes agilely down the hall and around the corner. I follow him around the corner and call after him through pants. "Pascal!"

He keeps going, ignoring me. He comes to a halt in front of a door and he scratches at it, whining.

I slide to a halt and bend down, scooping him up. Pascal hisses and begins to claw at my face. His claws catch on the bandage and I wince as it rips off my cheek. I feel something dribble from the cut and I duck as Pascal's claws come for my face.

"What is your problem?" I demand as I blindly reach for the knob so I can toss the angry cat into the air. "You don't just run off, you know!"

Pascal only hisses. My hand reaches the knob and I throw the door open. I prepare myself to throw Pascal into the air only for my mother's perfume to rush over me.

Pascal goes still in my arms and I step into the room, my eyes wide.

The room is full of bright yellow flowers and candlelight. They sit in royal purple pots. My mother's perfume seems to waft from them and I drift into the room, my feet moving of their own accord.

The room has a tall ceiling, it seems to be as tall as the hallways, and the walls are covered in gold patterns. The flowers sit in pots on the top of a long mahogany table. Some of the pots are missing flowers and I go to them. The pots are labeled in gold paint.

_Fauna Gothel_, there's a date under the name. Its forty years old.

My eyes go to the pot. Whoever Fauna is, she had needed one of these flowers nearly fifty years ago.

I look at around one. _Primrose Mendel_. The date under her name is seventeen years old.

The room plummets in warmth. Pascal is limp in my arms and I feel the blood leave my face and go to my feet, making me light-headed.

The date under my mother's name is my birthday.

Suddenly, I can't stand to be in this room.

I whirl around, feeling woozy.

The door is wide open and I begin to walk toward it. Pascal slips from my hands. He pads silently behind me. It becomes harder to breathe. I'm panting.

I look back at the yellow flowers. They're the color of gold and they seem to be glowing. I close the door behind me with a small _click_. Why does King Christopher have all of these flowers?

Why did Mother need one?

I look down the hall quietly and find my bandage on the floor. I bend down, grab it, and ball it up. I put it in my cloak pocket and look at Pascal, who is sitting by my feet. He looks up at me and meows.

I crouch down to stroke his fur, trying to regain composure, and then I sniff him.

He smells like Mother.

My eyes go to the room behind me. Why did the entire room smell like her?

I grab Pascal and begin walking, my head spinning. The questions that fill my mind make me want to hold my head and moan. I don't know what any of it means.

Everyone knows about the sun flower myths, that there were magic flowers that could bring someone back from death. Why would Mother need one on my birthday-

"Oh, God," I stop walking and put one hand on my face, covering my eyes.

_I don't want to think about this._ I begin walking again, unable to breathe. I'm still panting. I focus on this thought, a thought that seems like a lie now. _I'm a commoner and a wedlock. My best friends are Hagen, Landon, Gabriel, Ellen, Peter, Benjamin, Eugene, Ida, and Alyson._

I see the nobles standing around waiting and I start running to them. I cry out, "Sorry, he got frightened by something!"

Alyson protests. "Pascal is fearless!"

I join them, trying to ignore the impatient looks the nobles are giving me. Eugene's busy staring at me. I know he's wondering what took so long.

Eugene asks lightly, looking at me, "He saw a snake?"

"Hardly, Eugene!" Lawrence nudges Eugene, laughing lightly. Lawrence and King Christopher are looking at me too. Why?

King Christopher pretends to not notice anything. "You run fast, Rapunzel." He says admiringly.

I make myself blush by thinking of something embarrassing. I mumble something incoherently.

Piers and Alyson look impatient. "Sorry, your Highnesses," Piers mumbles. Everyone turns to him. "Where's the. . . Kitchen?"

Taylor smiles. "I'm hungry too." He looks at King Christopher and Eugene. "Can we eat before you two try to talk all night?"

King Christopher smiles warmly. "Of course!" He begins to lead the way. "Come along."

We pass the hallway with the room I had just been in. I try not to look down the hallway.

Lawrence announces happily when we reach –what he calls- the Dining Hall. "Eat up and sleep well. We'll ask you," he looks at Eugene, "more things tomorrow." I try to hide my hand wiping away blood from the cut in my face.

I realize why Lawrence and the king were staring at me when I glance off my hand. I hadn't put the bandage back on.

Benjamin smiles, looking exhausted. I still don't understand why they're still tired when they slept until noon. "Wonderful," he says politely.

Lawrence nods and holds the door open for us all. "I'll have Matilda give you a tour."

Alyson nods, too hungry to pay attention, while Ellie smiles. "Lovely, Lawrence." She pecks him on the nose. Lawrence blushes.

* * *

><p>Pascal and Maximus eat in the corner of the room. Maximus chews on lamb while Pascal daintily nibbles on cooked fish. I walk past him and roll my eyes.<p>

"Eat up," I say to them. "We hardly have food like this at home."

One of the nobles laughs at my comment. His laughter makes me feel a little more at home and I sit down between Alyson and Ellie. Ellie looks much better when she's eaten and even exasperated Alyson manages to chat and joke. Eugene and the king begin to talk jousting and Piers listens in, adding in comments.

Benjamin is rather quiet most of dinner. I only talk when spoken to because I'm aware of how low I am on the totem pole. I'm below a dog, according to some of my torturers.

"What about you, dear?" Someone asks. "Rapunzel?"

I look up, daunted, when I see everyone looking at me. When had they all gone quiet?

"Yes?" I ask, feeling a blush rise in my face.

One of the nobles looks at me in curiosity. The rest of them are here, including the knights. We fill up the entire table. The tables hold about fifty seats or so. I heard the tables, there were three, used to be overflowing.

"What do you like to do?" He asks.

Reynard nudges him. "Daniel-"

Daniel looks over at Reynard sharply. "I want to hear what she has to say."

Reynard opens his mouth to speak, but Daniel cuts him off by looking at me. He smiles encouragingly though at this point, I'm ready to bolt.

"What do you like to do?" He asks in a gentle tone. He sees the panic in my eyes. "Just so we can make your visit here more enjoyable."

I'm stiffening up. "I, um," my voice begins to shake. I'm not used to being spoken to so gently by a stranger. I'm panicking.

Eugene rushes to my aid. "She likes painting." I look at him gratefully.

Daniel turns to Eugene. "Does she?"

Alyson chimes in. "She paints better than Phillip." She's exaggerating. Phillip used to be Corona's official portrait artist. He still is, but no one's seen him since the king announced his contest.

I shake my head when everyone turns to me, curious. "She's exaggerating." I mumble.

Ellie gives me a look. "No, she's not. You painted Phillip one time and he was jealous, remember?"

I remember that day blearily. I had gone home, pleased with my accomplishment, only for a few of my torturers to show up and begin throwing rocks at me. I can't remember Phillip's face either.

King Christopher leans forward at the head of the table, his eyes on me. "What else do you like to do?"

I look at him and feel sweat begin to leak from my skin. My hands begin sweating and I look at the napkins in front of me. I reach for one, cringing when I see my hand shake. I snatch it up and begin to wipe at my hands, trying to answer the king's question.

I can't remember anything. I swallow hard and glance at him. "I-I like to, um. . ." I can't speak.

Piers looks at me past Ellie's head. He opens his mouth to speak, but I don't hear what he says. I stand up and back away from the table in one motion. I look over at the king, I can't see his face, and mumble.

"E-Excuse m-me." I say and walk unsteadily past Pascal and Maximus. Pascal gets up to follow me and I look down at him.

His eyes seem to grow in front of my eyes. The green orbs become all I can see and I realize I'm about to faint.

I whirl back around and touch the doorknob. I pull the abnormally heavy door open and it closes behind me. I put my palm to the wall beside me, my other hand squeezing the napkin.

I scramble for the wall, trying to distance myself from the Dining Hall. I feel sick suddenly, like I could vomit on the hardwood floor. I silently will my churning stomach to settle and I begin to walk unsteadily down the hallway.

"Wait!" Someone shouts behind me.

I look down the way I've came to see Eugene running behind me. He's here to drag me back in there and answer the king. Panic makes me start running.

I duck down a random hallway and yank hard on the doorknob. I rush in and close the door right when Eugene reaches me. He bangs on the door and I scramble to lock it.

"Rapunzel!" His shouts are insistent and full of worry.

I stagger away to a window.

"Rapunzel!

I pull it open and vomit, tears running down my cheeks. My cut begins to sting.

"Rapunzel!"

I spit into the grass and shakily back away, closing the window. I swallow the rest of my dinner and nearly gag.

"Rapunzel!" Eugene's still shouting. "Are you all right?"

I look at the door and call shakily. "I-I'm f-fine!"

Eugene stops banging. "Why did you run?" He sounds worried.

I go to the door and make myself unlock it. I walk backwards several steps until I touch cotton. I sit on the bed and wipe at my eyes.

Eugene slowly eases the door open. His eyes go to me. The room is bright with a few candles. He can see my pale face.

"You okay, Chocolate?" He says Ellie's nickname. For some reason, his lips mangle the word. His eyes go faraway in thought though I know he is waiting for my response.

I look at him and shake my head fiercely, feeling the tears come surging forth. "I-I panicked."

Eugene puts his arm around me, pulling me into his chest. "What happened, Blondie?" I smile faintly at the new nickname. Chocolate, Goldie, and now Blondie.

I try to answer. "I. . . He. . ." I moan at my lack of words and shake my head, ashamed.

Eugene pulls away to look at me. His light brown eyes are gentle. "They scared you." He says it so easily.

I nod, cringing. I feel foolish. "I-I've never been spoken to by a noble. Most of the time, they ignore me."

Eugene nods in understanding. "I get it." He says to my benefit. I want to think that he does understand.

I think about everyone waiting in the Dining Hall for me and I cringe. "I'll be at break feast." I say unsurely. I'm not sure if I want to eat with any of them.

Eugene seems to sense this. "You don't have to."

"I know. . ." My voice trails off.

Eugene looks at me in warm curiosity. "Then why go when you're uncomfortable?"

I shrug and Eugene seems unconvinced. I change the subject. "You want to be prince?" This seemed like a good time to ask.

Eugene seems surprised by my question. He fumbles to answer and I wait patiently. He looks at the closed door and says in a low voice. "For you."

I'm full of surprise and pleasure. "Me?"

Eugene nods. "And your friends."

I'm confused. "What about us?"

Eugene looks at me and smiles shyly. "Someone's got to stand up for you guys."

I don't want to laugh in his face. His statement is touching, ridiculous, and admirable. _Don't ruin your reputation by speaking up for a few wedlocks._

Eugene suddenly glares at me and I cringe, thinking he's read my mind. "You matter, I hope you know that." His voice is earnest.

I mumble something and Eugene gives me a questioning look. For his benefit, I say it louder.

"Not to the nobles."

Eugene isn't fazed by this. He pecks me on the nose with his lips, startling me, and says softly. "You matter to me, all right?"

I'm shocked into stillness. Eugene waits for a response and when he doesn't see one coming, he gets up, his face emotionless. Oh no. He thinks-

"See you at break feast." He goes to the door.

I get to my feet and say quickly, feeling my braid bang against the back of my calves. "T-Thank you."

Eugene turns to me, the rest of his body hidden by the door. He blinks, confused. "For what?"

I blush, though he can't see it. "For. . . For telling me that."

Eugene smiles, his teeth glowing in the gloom. "You're welcome, Blondie."

For some reason, seeing a smile on his face makes a smile appear on mine.


	17. Lost Time

Chapter Seventeen

I roam the hallways while I wait for dinner to be over.

Lawrence bumps into me on the way down the hall and says, "Pick a room and it's yours for the whole week." He says merrily.

I smile and say, thinking about the room I had ran in trying to lose Eugene. I had spent some of my time memorizing my way to the room. "Done."

Lawrence nods, pleased. His green eyes search my face and he gasps. "Who cut you?"

I freeze, remembering that the bandage had come off. I had tossed the bandage into the fireplace near the front of the palace. The fireplace had been in a big, empty room. The room was gorgeous, the walls made of marble and it had big, shining windows. The chandeliers were silver in that room. The room had the highest ceiling I had ever seen. One of the knights told me that it was the ballroom.

I open my mouth to lie when Lawrence grabs my wrist and tugs me down a hallway. I try to relax in his firm grip. But it's just that so many of my torturers have grabbed me and dragged me off someplace. . .

Lawrence opens the door and I gape at the surprisingly large number of maids and servants rushing through the room. They're all holding linen or basins or big glass bowls full of peppermint. They freeze when they see Lawrence.

"Fetch Matilda," Lawrence says to one of them. She rushes out and I look at the servants and maids, thinking about the small number of knights and nobles. How can there be so many of them?

Lawrence looks at a particular face in the crowd of lavender –they're all dressed in lavender dresses and robes- and says, "Nicholas."

Nicholas comes forward. He's got dark hair and eyes the color of ice. He looks at me and nods. Nicholas grabs my other hand and Lawrence lets me go. Lawrence goes to whisper in Nicolas's ear and I blush when I see that the servants and maids are staring at me.

Some of them are staring at me in contempt. In a flash, I suddenly understand. Some of these servants and maids are commoners.

They fix their faces when Nicholas looks back at them. He's the head of them all, I assume. "Carry on," he commands.

They all nod at the same time and continue rushing around the large room. They begin to stream out into the hallway. Some of them dip their heads to me and others look right through me.

Lawrence leads the way out and Nicholas doesn't let go of me. He takes me inside the Dining Hall, I'm relieved to see the king and nobles nowhere in sight, and we step into the kitchen.

Some of the servants are here and they scrub dishes busily. I watch them, almost interested, and Nicholas goes to the cabinets.

A servant comes up to him. "Matilda will be with you in a moment, sir."

Nicholas nods and says in a surprisingly deep voice, "Thank you."

The servant nods and goes to the sink, offering his assistance. Nicholas pulls out a bottle of wine from the cabinet and grabs my hand. He drags me out of the kitchen and into the hallway.

We walk to my room and Nicholas lets himself in. He sits me on the bed and ducks into the washroom I have yet to be in. Nicholas comes out with a basin full of water and a cloth. He looks at the long braid on my shoulder and pushes it back.

His pale blue eyes go to the cut and he asks. "Knife?"

I nod, nervous. The door is closed, not locked, but closed. I'm in a bedroom with a complete stranger.

I'm filled with anxiety when he looks at my gown and says, "Why don't you change into some night clothes?" I nod tightly and get up. "They're on the counter."

I walk into the washroom and close the door behind me. I want to lock it, but that would be silly. I look at the big ivory tub and the purple curtains. My hand goes to rub them and the sensation of my skin on silk makes me sigh. The washroom is bright. Candles cover every surface except the floor.

I look at the simple cotton nightgown and undress. I pull on the gown and pile up my clothes in a corner. I start to walk out when my foot bumps into a basket. I look at my clothes and then the basket, uncertain.

I leave the clothes where they are and pull on the cotton ankle-length stockings. I feel warmer now and I open the door. Matilda stands in the room, leaning against the wall. Nicholas is talking when I walk out and he goes quiet when he sees me.

I'm full of misgivings, but I make myself sit on the bed.

Matilda smiles at me, acting oblivious. "Hi, Chocolate."

"Hi, Mattie," I make myself say her nickname cheerfully. I'm tired and anxious. My eyes go to the wine bottle. "Why do we need wine for this?"

Matilda smiles wryly. "I've got to redo Ellie's handiwork."

Nicholas wordlessly hands me the bottle. I look at him and Matilda incredulously. "All of this?"

Nicholas nods. "It's apparently difficult to get you drunk." He and Benjamin must have been talking. How else would he know that? Silly, nervous chills go down my spine.

I look at the bottle and then at the two of them. Nicholas opened it for me and everything. I'm nervous, not entirely comfortable with the two of them. "Can I do it alone?"

Matilda shakes her head. "My apologies. We've got to be here."

I sigh and sip from the bottle. This liquid burns a little. I swallow at the bitter taste and begin to feel woozy. I've hardly had a sip. I set it down, only for Nicholas to scold me.

"Drink up." He says and he dips the cloth in the water. He puts the cloth to my bare arm and I shiver. The water is a little too warm. Nicholas runs the cloth up and down my arm and I start to drink from the bottle.

A short while later, I can't see straight. I swirl the bottle, hearing the wine _swish_ inside. "I didn't drink that much." I'm slurring for some reason. Nicholas has wiped me all over with that cloth.

"We know." Matilda sounds strained. "Drink more."

I complain. "I feel drunk."

"You're not." Matilda says firmly. Frustration makes me fidget. I had been trying to tell her I was drunk for the last ten minutes.

I shake my head and take a long gulp. "I'm drunk, Mattie."

"No, you're-"

"Yes, I am!" I shout and throw up my hand. The bottle slips from my grip. It hits the floor and shatters.

I stand up, beginning to sway. I hold up a hand and count my fingers aloud. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. . ." My hand blurs. I point accusingly at Matilda. "I'm drunk, okay?"

Matilda tries to sit me down, but I stagger backwards. Nicholas lurches up to catch me and my head whips back. An ache rises up in my neck and Nicholas sits me back down.

"Matilda, can you fetch another-"

"I _am_ drunk!" I blurt out. I turn to glare at Nicholas. "I'm not drinking anymore."

Matilda leaves the room and I reach out to her, seeing a cat follow her out. I look back at Nicholas, ducking when he comes at me with that cloth again.

"Sit down, Rapunzel." He commands with authority in his deep voice. I sit down and try to wipe sweat from my face. Nicholas ignores my hands and wipes at my face. The warm water makes me feel light-headed.

I mumble. "I'm sure I'm drunk." I don't know why they don't believe me.

The warm water makes my thoughts scatter. I feel unsteady and dizzy. Nicholas wipes my skin gently, but the warmth of the water is hypnotizing.

When Matilda comes back and hands me another bottle, I'm too out of my mind to do nothing but drink.

* * *

><p>I wake up in a daze.<p>

My cheek doesn't hurt as much as it did yesterday. I sit up and have no idea where I am.

Pascal mews and I peer over the edge of the bed to see him lying on a cushion. He looks half-awake. His green eyes go up to me and he leaves his bed. He gets up on his haunches and licks my hand.

"Morning to you, too." I look around the room and I suddenly remember where I am.

I think about last night's activities and realize that I don't feel hungover. But I had gotten drunk, right?

I climb off the bed and begin to make it. I realize that my hair is undone and lays on my shoulders in a tangled mess.

I hide myself in the washroom while I comb it out. I braid it after I take a cold bath. I climb out and look at the vacant counters. I look at the corner for my clothes from the day before and find that they are gone.

I try to calm myself and dig in the drawers. I find a gown with lavender bodice laced with pink ribbons. I pull it on and find that the sleeves only cover my shoulders. They are puffy and lavender, striped with pink. The material of the sleeves is soft, sheer. The dress skirt is made of silk and the neckline is V shaped.

I search the drawers, knowing that they are empty. This is the dress I'm supposed to wear for today.

I can't find any shoes so I keep on my ankle-length stockings. I walk to the Dining Hall and gasp when I see that everyone else is just arriving. Daniel, Taylor, and Reynard sit a few chairs apart. Eugene is walking to his seat, looking freshly shaved. He's dressed in a warm brown tunic and dark cream pants. I can't see the color of his boots.

Ellie's arriving with Alyson. Alyson's hair is glossy, freshly washed, and she's dressed in a pale blue gown similar to mine. Her sleeves aren't puffy.

Ellie's wearing the most comfortable looking gown. Her gown is a simple pale orange and it looks like a long tunic, or something similar to it. Her dark hair is held back by a matching orange ribbon. She sits down beside Piers, who looks rather handsome in a matching orange tunic.

Benjamin's wearing a dark gray tunic and his green eyes go to me. He waves me over with a flick of his hand and I rush to my seat. Ellie smiles warmly at me.

"Lookin' good, Chocolate."

I blush and glance at Maximus' corner to see Pascal walking over to him. Maximus gets up to flick Pascal with his tail. Pascal barrels Maximus over, making me grin.

Lawrence blesses the food and we dig in. I'm quiet until Taylor tries to ask me the question from the night before. I'm somewhat more prepared.

I say the least embarrassing thing in a somewhat steady voice. "I like dancing."

King Christopher looks interested. "You do?"

I nod, shy, and look back down at my plate. When break feast is over, Eugene goes off with the king and Lawrence. The nobles disperse and Matilda comes up to us, smiling.

"How about that tour, hm?"

* * *

><p>I don't see Eugene at lunch.<p>

Matilda's tour of the palace is wonderful. The bedrooms are spacious and bountiful. The ballroom is more beautiful at dawn when the sunlight danced its way inside. I have yet to see the balcony the queen and the king had stood on when they stopped to watch the square.

I was bouncing forward, excited. Pascal was padding dutifully next to me. He had been jumpy in a huge new place, but now he walked the territory confidently.

Matilda nods at the guards who stood by the door. They opened the door regally, making me freeze for a moment in pleasure. I hadn't had a door opened for me in a while since I hardly went anywhere.

I bounce ahead of everyone else, eager to see the balcony. I freeze in my tracks when I see Eugene and King Christopher. They both turn and surprise and pleasure lights up their faces when they see me.

Suddenly daunted, I begin to back away. Eugene glances at the king for permission. When the king nods, Eugene gestures us to the balcony.

Matilda is blushing. "My apologies," she begins to curtsey but stops, her blush darkening. The king smiles warmly at her and waves us over. Pascal and Maximus bound over to Eugene, licking his hands.

Eugene crouches down to stroke their fur and looks up. The way his eyebrows arch confidently over his eyes and his soft smile makes me pause. Something's different.

"Guys," he greets us. I'm suddenly full of an odd sensation. I walk over when Eugene beckons us, feeling my stomach churn.

_Something's different._

Eugene gets up, having fondled Pascal and Maximus. Ellie scoots closer to the balcony, looking lost. I follow her to the rail and try to admire the view.

The balcony overlooks the square, which is covered in snow and old footprints. Snow covers the roof of every cottage and I can't see anyone in sight. The treetops are heavy with snow and I look up at the sky.

"I don't think it'll snow anymore for the rest of the season." King Christopher says close to me. I glance at my right to see him standing beside me. I smile awkwardly.

Matilda lets us admire the view before she has us come inside. Cloudy or not, it's still cold out. I follow Alyson in, feeling as if I should be on my tip-toes.

* * *

><p>The nobles chat with the king at lunch, almost completely ignoring us.<p>

No one looks up when I leave the table. My friends chat to each other absently, though Eugene is listening more than he's talking. Something about him seems distant today.

I walk to my room and lay on the bed, thinking about the sun flowers I had found in that room. Why had Mother needed one? I want to ask someone high up, Lawrence or even Daniel and Taylor. Maybe they could tell me.

I leave the bed and go to the washroom. Someone has already prepared warm water for me. I linger by the ivory tub and dip in one of the cloths I haven't used.

The cloth is soaked instantly and I put it to my face.

It's very warm, almost too warm. Something in me begins to sink and I start to sway. I fall backward and catch myself on the counter behind me. I put the cloth to my face and rub my cheek as if to soothe a fussy child.

My heart sinks and wooziness makes me loosen my grip. The cloth slips from my hand and I struggle to keep a grip on the counter. I shake my head quickly and look at the cloth and warm water.

Daunted now, I dip my hand in the water that fills the tub. A rush of sleepiness makes me sigh. I jolt away from the tub and pick up the cloth. I toss it in the water, flinching from the splash, and leave my room.

When had warm water done that to me? When had warm water made me feel sleepy and light-headed and-

_Drunk._ Last night suddenly makes sense.

I begin to walk the halls, thinking. Rainstorms had done this to me too. When I was inside while it rained for hours on end, I would feel stuffy, like I was trapped.

When I went outside because Mother insisted, I'd feel better for a few moments, but then becoming overwhelmingly groggy after the brief exposure.

This usually happened in spring and autumn. When summer came, along with the heat and gold hair, I sometimes felt like I was melting. I'd sleep fretfully and always be so thirsty-

I stop mid-step.

In the winter, I would sleep longer than usual and lose track of time.

_Lose track of time,_ I thought about my parents' deaths, how I didn't seem know when they had occurred. How long ago were their deaths? It could have been months or even years ago.

I swallow nervously at a new realization. Sometimes I woke up clueless as to what century I was in.

I feel a prickle of fear shoot through me when I hear Alyson call me from down the hall. "Hey, Rapunzel!"

When she reaches me, I turn to her, my eyes wide. She blinks at me. "Did you get sick?" I must be pale in the face. Alyson starts scowling. "I'll pamper you too, Chocolate, if you do."

Alyson begins to go on and I follow her limply down the hallway. "Their cake is to die for. It's made of chocolate, Rapunzel. You'd love it."

"That sounds good," I make myself say.

In my head, a thought spins. It's laced with alarm and panic.

_I don't know what day it is._


	18. Irrational Thoughts

Chapter Eighteen

I wake up filled with dread.

I had slept awfully last night, dreaming of snowflakes that burned my skin when they landed. I dreamt of fire that had crackled loudly, sounding like my mother when she caught me doing something I wasn't supposed to.

Then I dreamt of the sun flowers running after me with the voices of my torturers. They screamed at me as I ran through the woods. My long hair tangled up in branches and thorns, and every time I grabbed at it to tug it free, it changed from glowing blond to dark brown, blinding me.

The nightmares all merged together. When one ended, another began. Some interrupted each other, making the terrifying dreams vivid.

I don't awake with a scream, not like the usual person who forces themselves awake from nightmares.

I awake and find myself crying. The tears are in my eyes and when I come to, I'm halfway through a sob.

I make the bed with shaky hands, my eyes going to Pascal's bed. He is not in it. I unbraid my hair, comb it out, and braid it back up.

The dress awaiting me today looks similar to yesterday's. The only difference is that the sleeves aren't puffy and the necklace is more like an oval than a V. I pull it on in a daze, my mind going back to my nightmares.

Occasionally throughout these dreams, I saw my friends and parents in the hallways of the palace.

Ellie asked who I was, Piers demanded my death, and Benjamin begged for my trust. Hagen howled for my blood, Ida wished for my well-being, Alyson asked for my flesh, and Gabe pleaded for a knife I didn't have. Landon pleaded for my safety and Eugene asked for my kisses.

And worst of all, once I flee from my friends, I find myself in another nightmare that is worse than all the others combined.

I would run into my parents' room, only to find my mother and father sitting on the bed. My mother is well with-child and my father had his face in his hands, mourning.

My mother is pale and gaunt, on the edge of death.

Someone I can't see approaches my mother. They are holding glowing gold.

"You look occupied." Daniel notes as he walks past my chair.

I look over at him, blushing. I wave him over timidly. I am amazed when he walks over to me, a welcoming smile on his handsome face. His eyes are the color of sapphires. He smiles and bends down, being a whole head taller than me.

"What is it, your Highness?"

For a moment, I forget how to speak. I look at him, my face frozen, and then the tears try to arrive. I cringe when I see his face transform into a mask of sorrow. He quickly begins to apologize, but I cut him off with a quick shake of my head. My face is turning red.

"Rapunzel, my dearest-"

"I'm fine, never mind that," I say quickly in a husky voice. All I can see are my father's happy green eyes. I look at him and try to swallow. A sob tries to escape.

Heads begin to look down at us. I leave my chair and say loudly through the gasps, "Hey, um, what was that thing you were talking about?"

Daniel jumps in. "The spindle? Oh, right this way," he puts his hand on my shoulder as if to lead the way. What he's really doing is helping me through the sobs.

"Come back before the toast gets cold!" King Christopher calls.

Daniel waves a hand and then we're out of the Dining Hall. My vision obscures because of the tears and I sag back against the wall, the sobs beginning to escape.

"Hey, now," Daniel says soothingly. He grabs my hand, pulling me from the wall, and begins to tug me down the hallway. Instead of tensing up, I'm limp. He guides me to the ballroom and closes the door behind us.

When his back is to me, I begin to sob. Daniel whirls around, his face bright with remorse. He rushes to me and I can't help myself. I take an involuntary step back and cover my red face with my hands. I'm about to lose it when Daniel pulls me into his arms.

I lose it right then and there. I stain his beautiful noble gown with my tears.

He says nothing. He rocks me back and forth, squeezing me tightly.

* * *

><p>When I'm finally calm, Daniel lets go of me.<p>

I'm panting now. My face is still red, but I can breathe. Daniel lets me take his hand and walk to one of the walls. I lean back against it, letting the rest of the tears fall without shame.

Daniel puts his arm around me in a fatherly way. Daniel is in his late thirties. He is sprightly, appearing to be as young as Benjamin sometimes. But Daniel has become recently childless. He lost his daughter Alla to the plague. I bet he's thinking of her now.

"S-Sorry," I say through the raspy pants. They're reminding me of sobs and the thought reminds me of why I started crying in the first place.

Daniel laughs lightly, fondly. He pats my hand, resting it in his. "That's quite all right." He says, looking at his hand playing with mine.

I look over at him, wiping my eyes with my free hand. I start awkwardly, "What I meant to ask you was. . ." Daniel laughs before I finish. He is laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. I want to laugh too, but I feel too raw.

"What is it?" Daniel asks when his laughter ends. I don't mind his laughter. If anything, it makes me homesick.

I look at him and say lightly, "What day is it?"

Daniel looks at me and begins to chuckle. "Lost track of time?"

I nod a little too seriously. Daniel looks at the seriousness on my face and something stiffens in him.

"Well, what day do you think it is?"

I can't answer. Seeing this, Daniel blinks in curiosity. His next question fills me with foreboding.

"When did you lose track of time?"

I look at him and murmur my answer, worried. Daniel is hiding something. This is worse than he'll let on, I can tell.

"When the lake froze over the first time."

* * *

><p>Daniel's answer makes me swoon.<p>

One moment, I was walking into the Dining Hall for brunch, listening to his endless ramble about what had happened since the lake froze the first time.

Then he said, "So today is. . ." He said the month and the date, and I had been startled into unconsciousness.

Cold paws touch my cheeks.

The prods are wary, almost timid. As I surface to consciousness, an ache fills my head and I moan. The prodding becomes insistent now. I hear voices above me soften with relief as my eyes open.

"Ow," my hand finds the knot on my head. Everyone standing over me look like blurs.

"Are you okay?" Alyson asks warily above me.

My eyes go to her face as it fades into focus. I reach out for her hand and she pulls me to my feet. I end up giving her a hug, trying to remain standing.

"I just heard something shocking," I mumble through the fogginess.

"Like what?" Eugene sounds worried.

My eyes go to his and I sigh. "Daniel told me the date."

Taylor sounds perplexed. "Why would that make you swoon?"

"I forgot what day it is," I say. "Nothing to worry about."

I can't tell them about the sun flowers. I don't know when and if I should, but I know I can't tell them now.

* * *

><p>"Hi, Eugene," I hear everyone say as I walk past the threshold.<p>

Eugene smiles and sits down at his seat. He looks at me to smile, and I am filled with something strange when only a few people acknowledge me.

I grab my plate of porridge from the servant. "Thank you."

He doesn't look at me. Everyone is staring at Eugene.

I look over at Eugene and see what the fuss is about.

Eugene is wearing a crown.

"King Christopher said I could try it out." Eugene explains, blushing as everyone stares. "I'm going to take it off as soon as breakfast is over."

I can't pull my eyes away. The gold crown holds clear gems. It sits on Eugene's dark brown hair, contrasting nicely. The crown makes Eugene look regal in a breathtaking way.

"It looks nice on you," Piers mumbles as he begins to dig into his food. He breaks into a toothless grin. "You should have someone paint you wearing it."

Eugene smiles and glances at me. A rush of warmth makes me look down, but I blush when he says, "I know the perfect person."

"Who?" Benjamin asks, taking a sip from his tea.

Eugene looks at Benjamin in disbelief. "Rapunzel."

All of the nobles turn their stares to me. King Christopher looks interested while Lawrence looks delighted. Daniel is smiling.

"You paint?"

I say modestly, remembering the easels I had painted several times over at home. "A little."

"I've seen her work," Alyson says. "She's talented."

Reynard scoffs and while Alyson and Ellie rush to defend me, I am filled with the same strange feeling from earlier. I am all too familiar with it.

"Excuse me," I say. My eyes begin to sting as I walk from the table. I leave the Dining Hall and shut the door quietly behind me.

Pascal is lying on his bed when I arrive. I stroke his fur before he stirs from his doze. He blinks up at me and I smile, feeling the pain in my eyes.

"Want to go for a walk?"

We walk around the square a few times, but when King Christopher and Eugene come out, I sneak off with my cat, hiding. I am running scenarios in my head, trying to imagine how to approach them. I don't know what I would say.

Pascal mews and dashes forward. I let him go, quickening to a light trot. He disappears around a corner and I dutifully follow him. He stops to sniff at the snow and I cross my arms, waiting.

Pascal looks up at me, blinks his Mendel green eyes, and walks over to me. He brushes against me and looks up to mew.

"It's nothing," I say and crouch down to stroke his head. "I just keep forgetting I'm not one of them."

Pascal gazes at me, shakes his head, and licks my hand.

* * *

><p>Dinner is worse than breakfast.<p>

No one, besides my friends, looks at me.

I don't want them to either, but since they don't, it is almost painful. Once again, I leave before the meal is completed, no longer hungry.

I sit down on the bed and gaze around the room. A realization makes me moan.

_I'm only here because Eugene is._ I stand up and begin to look for my things. I tug the pretty, silk, dark purple gown over my head. I pull on the gown I came in, it is freshly washed, and slip into my ankle stockings and boots. _I was invited, but I don't feel welcome._

I scoop up Pascal and go to the door, peeking out. The hallway is busy. Servants are bustling about, holding fresh linen and basins.

I close my door and go to the window. I squint into the darkness and look at my cat.

"I'm going to drop you, okay?" I can't remember how many floors the palace has. I only remember climbing one flight of stairs.

Pascal hisses in my arms and suddenly frightened, I set him on the bed. I put a hand to my face, breathless.

_Am I about to jump out of a palace because no one pays attention to me?_ I am thinking irrationally. This entire day has been emotionally draining.

I close the window and go to the door again. The hallway is still pretty crowded, but I think I can slip in and out unnoticed.

I look at Pascal, watch him curl up on the bed, and something in me goes still.

_I'll just go for a walk_, I say as I tug my gown off. This is silly, dumb. I am about to leave safety because I felt excluded.

I pull on the dress I had been wearing earlier and walk out of my room. I avoid eye-contact and soon enough, I am at the palace's doors.

The guards standing by them pull them open and I walk out with a smile. I can't help but smile bigger when a cold wind bites my face.

I walk out of the palace, growing giddy as the wind begins to blow harder. The sky is cloudy, I can't see the stars, but I feel better.

I break into a run, smiling as the snow crunches under my feet. It feels like I leave my troubles behind as I run to the square. I skid to a halt and tug at the braid. The braid falls from its curled position on my head and down to my calves.

I undo the braid quickly, my fingers clumsy with excitement. My hair falls around me, a soft curtain, and I know I am becoming foolish when I tug off my coat.

The wind caresses everything. My hair, my face and eyelids, my bare arms and collarbone. It sinks into my skin and rejuvenates me. I twirl into a circle, my arms spread as wide as they can go.

For a moment, I feel invincible.

As the high wears off, I begin to grow cold. Still smiling, I pull on my coat. I tuck my chilly hands into my pockets and begin to walk. I walk around the square again.

Some people find silence in the outside world to be scary, threatening.

I find it to be a relief, at least for when I am outdoors. Whenever I went outside, it was never quiet for long. Summer and her followers arrived and chased me away.

There was also silence when I played my chess games with Eugene.

_Eugene_. The thought of him makes a hot spark shoot through my body. _I should go talk to him. _I turn my feet toward the palace.

In the empty ballroom, I take the silence to braid my hair. I think of Eugene as I complete this task. I entertain myself with the thought of catching him in the hallway and smiling at him. Ever since Eugene's week had started, I hardly got to talk to him. I hear his voice, but it doesn't sound as soft. When he talks to the king, he sounds harder, more intelligent in a way. When he talks to me, he sounds softer and thoughtful.

I finish the braid and stand up to stretch. I arrange the braid into the hat I've always worn before I leave the room. I search the hallways for a moment, hoping to catch a glimpse of Eugene's face. I checked the Dining Hall, but I only see servants.

I bump into Lawrence in another hallway. "Where's Eugene?"

Lawrence looks me up and down. "You went outside?"

"Yes." I say quickly. I want to see Eugene's pretty eyes. "Where's Eugene?"

Lawrence frowns. "He's with Christopher again."

"Oh," disappointment makes me sigh. "Goodnight then."

"Wait," Lawrence says. "What's bothering you? You left at breakfast and at dinner, and you weren't here at lunch." His eyes are staring into mine. "Is everything alright?"

I nod, swallowing the bitter taste the lie creates. "Yes."

Lawrence gazes at me intently. Discomfort makes me drop my gaze and Lawrence sounds like he is thinking when he says, "Goodnight, dear."

I nod, feeling like a child being scolded, and walk to my room.

I lie down on the bed beside Pascal, making myself smile when he opens his eyes sleepily. He had ran around all day today.

I roll onto my back and stare up at the ceiling as a thought enters my mind.

_Maybe we'll see him tomorrow._


	19. Childhood Haunts

Chapter Nineteen

I don't see Eugene the next day, so the first thing I do is knock on Eugene's door the very next morning.

The hallways aren't too busy. Everyone appears to be just waking up. Some of the servants are pulling open the long curtains in the hallways, letting in weak sunlight.

The door opens. Eugene rubs one eye and I take a step back as the door reveals him. He is completely shirtless and only wearing cotton shorts. They fit him too well.

I drag my eyes up his defined chest and to his face. I am on fire.

"Mornin'," Eugene yawns. His eyes drift close and his head sags to the door frame. He snores.

"Uh," I take another step back. "I'll come back when you're awake."

Eugene's eyes fly open. "No, wait!" He puts a blazing hot hand on my shoulder and pulls me into his room. The door drifts closed and Eugene is a lightly tan blur as he runs to the washroom. "Give me a moment."

I smile and sit on the un-made bed. I gaze at the closed washroom door and then at the bed.

When Eugene comes out, the bed is completely made.

His light brown eyes go to the bed. He's wearing a brown tunic with gold thread. "Thanks."

"No problem," I smile.

Eugene sits on the bed and turns his eyes to me. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"How's the king?"

"Fine." Eugene says. A look of relief brightens his tired face. "I thought it would be intimidating, this whole interview thing, but King Christopher has been really nice about it."

"Do you think he'll pick you?"

Eugene shrugs, wary. "I'm not sure. I hope so."

I smile at the thoughts that soften his eyes. _Me too_.

"I missed you," Eugene says, surprising me. His eyes go to me, eager. "What do you want to do today?"

I shrug. "I just wanted to see you."

Eugene smiles, but there is disappointment behind it, making the ends tremble. "So you have. Done with me now?"

"Of course not!" I exclaim. I blush when I realize how unprepared I am. I didn't think I'd actually get to see Eugene today, let alone spend time with him. "I don't have anything planned for us to do."

Eugene smiles. "Lucky for you, I do have plans."

I smile all too quickly, and the smile dies when I remember that Eugene is trying to be prince. "Don't you have to see the king today?"

Eugene's smile fades as well. The torn expression on his face makes me want to smile, but I hide it. The idea that Eugene wants to spend his time with me, while also wanting to spend it with King Christopher, makes me feel special.

"I'm sure I could ask him." Eugene says. "Go out to the gates and wait for me."

I nod and stand up. "And if you can't come?" Eugene frowns instantly and I regret speaking. Instead, I give him a quick hug. "Never mind that."

I leave his room before I can see his face.

Eugene arrives before long. There is an expression on his face that I don't like. It's rejection.

"Sorry, Rapunzel." Eugene says. "Maybe tomorrow?"

"It's fine," I say, burying the hurt. I watch him turn away, head down. I walk away from the gates and to the Dining Hall, where breakfast awaits.

* * *

><p>I am surprised when someone knocks on my door at midnight.<p>

I climb off the bed and tug the door open. I can barely see their face, but it is obvious that they can see me.

"Are you all right?"

I rub my eyes. "I'm fine."

Matilda brushes past me to step into my room. She is holding a taper and it blurs into focus when she holds it up to my face. She looks at me very intently and I gaze back, too tired to ask why she came in.

"What's wrong?" I mumble.

Matilda's other hand reaches for my face and she wipes. She eyes her hand. "Have you been crying?"

"What does it matter?" Suddenly upset all over again, I go to my bed and sit down, crossing my legs. "You've forgotten already?"

"I didn't know it upset you that much-"

"Matilda, he _humiliated_ me!" I can't believe her words. "King Christopher couldn't say silence loud enough."

"Rapunzel," remorse floods Matilda's face, "you know Reynard and Corey-"

"_Hate_ me!" I finish her sentence with a shout.

Matilda doesn't say anything. She lets me bury my face in my hands and rubs my back while I sob.

"King Christopher is too nice," I say. "Especially to me."

Matilda sounds concerned. "Rapunzel-"

"He is!" I insist. "They're all right, you know."

Now she is angry. "Rapunzel-"

"Why else would they sound so certain?"

"That's not true!"

I go on, my body filling up with hate. "Wedlocks don't deserve-"

Matilda's hand goes across my face.

My reaction startles us both.

I leap at Matilda across the bed and slap the gold taper out of her hand. Her hands rush up to push me away, but I am faster. I grab one of her flying hands and throw her across the bed.

"Rapunzel!" Matilda screams. "Rapunzel, stop!"

I snatch up the taper, jump on the bed, and I am about to slam it across Matilda's face when hands yank me off the bed. The unexpected, intense anger leaves me in a jolt and is replaced with something so much worse.

Fear. Cold, hard, and familiar.

I am dumped on the floor, but before I can linger, hands pull me up and force me out of the room.

Everything moves so fast. Shouting fills the air, overwhelming my senses.

I hit the floor again, but all too soon, I am back in someone's arms.

All I can see are angry, pointing fingers. Menacing glares, sharp teeth.

I am pushed to a wall and held there. A heavy, hot heaving chest against mine.

The thought filling my head makes no sense. It's shouted over and over again. _I'm so scared. I'm so scared. I'm so scared._

An opaque darkness accompanied with white and gold stars begin to drown out the frightening sights. I close my eyes and fall back, sagging against the wall.

Memories make me flinch when I am forcefully pulled up and pinned back to the wall. My skin is blistering hot. Burning sweat pours off of me, soaking my hair and clothes.

I can't breathe. My chest is tight with panic while my blood tingles with adrenaline and fear. I can't feel the rest of my body. I can only feel my feet or my hands. They're shaking.

"Everyone, quiet!" Someone shouts. It's King Christopher. The entire hallway, the entire world, goes dead quiet.

My heartbeat almost thunders over everything.

"Matilda," Lawrence speaks, "are you all right?"

Matilda sounds okay, fine to me at least. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Reynard asks. Just hearing his voice makes a tiny voice in me scream insults. "She didn't hurt you?"

"I'm fine," Matilda says firmly.

A small silence.

"Where is she?" Matilda asks, sounding worried. "What have you done with her?"

The chest pinning me to the wall vibrates as a voice booms, "She's out here!"

There is a small pause. I risk opening my eyes. I can only see blurs. I close my eyes again as the tears try to escape.

"Let her go." King Christopher says calmly.

"Let her go?" Corey demands. "She should be exiled from this palace immediately! She is a danger to all around here!"

_Leave me alone. _The thoughts are being shouted from deep within, from a scared child._ Please let me go._

"Listen to yourself!" Daniel snaps above Ellie's and Alyson's protests. "She will stay here as long as the king allows her to!"

"She should go." Reynard declares.

Alyson sounds on the verge of murder. "She's not going anywhere."

Reynard huffs, about to say more, when King Christopher demands. "Silence now!"

I shrink away into the wall, now dizzy. The anger in the air is tangible.

There is a small silence before anyone speaks.

"Rapunzel?" It's the king. "Nicholas, you may move."

"My apologies," the heavy chest moves away. I sag straight to my floor and curl up in a ball.

There are sad murmurs and angry mutters, but no one touches me.

"Rapunzel?" King Christopher sounds like he is standing above me. "Are you hurt?"

I curl up tighter, trying to keep myself from breaking.

A hand gently touches my bare shoulder.

"Are you hurt?" the king says.

Given how gentle he sounds, I assume that it is okay to rise. I open my eyes and slowly, slowly sit up. I am drained, shaking from exhaustion.

My eyes go around the people standing, looking for more angry, threatening faces. Just like how I used to.

The dark hallway is illuminated with candles, courtesy of a few servants.

King Christopher is kneeling in front of me. My eyes go to his brown ones. They are full of worry that is slowly going away. He scans my face.

"Are you hurt?" he asks me again.

"Speak up!" Reynard barks, making me jump. My head suddenly weighs a million tons and sags down. I bend over, sick with renewed fear.

King Christopher is quick to snap. "Quiet," he hisses.

I don't see the look on Reynard's face, but something in me wants a glance. I ignore it and look over at Matilda.

"Matilda," I say, trying to stop my voice from shaking, "I'm _so_ sorry for-"

"It's fine," Matilda says quickly.

I look at her, dead into her eyes, and shake my head. The sincerity in her eyes that says "I'm okay," makes me feel worse. I am shaking when I pull myself to my feet. I feel up the wall for support, growing dizzy. My body thinks it shouldn't be moving, that I should still be hiding.

I look at everyone else through blurry vision. The adrenaline burns as the fear leaves. I am not ready to talk to anyone right now. I can barely function.

"Are you all right?" Alyson asks. My head snaps over to her and I feel my hands start to tremble.

"I'm fine," the words come out as a shaky breath.

Matilda takes a step closer to me, to grab my hand, and I jerk away, startling everyone.

"D-Don't touch me."

Something darkens in the hallway when I turn to walk away. _I can't stay here any longer._ The thought makes me shake harder. The walls are closing in. I can't faint right now.

"Rapunzel, your room is this way!" Ellie calls.

I slowly, slowly turn to look at her. "I'll be in bed soon." I'm not going back to my room, but I can't tell them that. I start walking again down the dark hallway. I can't feel my feet, so I am staggering like a drunk, exhausted man.

"Where are you going?" Piers calls. "Dining Hall?"

I don't want to tell them where I'm going.

I keep walking, feeling the hot tears fall. I pause mid-step when I hear steps after me. I start running when they pick up speed.

There aren't any guards at the gates for once. I turn, glimpse dark brown hair, and tug the gates open, squeezing myself through the doors.

It's cold outside. There isn't a breeze. The air is stiff and dry.

The snow isn't melting. It sticks to my bare feet as I march through it. I don't care who sees me in this frilly, expensive, silk night-gown.

_I just want to go home._

* * *

><p>The first thing I do when I get home is collapse on the floor.<p>

I make myself get up on my hands and knees. I crawl a few feet away from the door and kick it shut.

My feet feel ice-cold.

I roll over onto my back and sit up to lock the door. I pull myself to my feet and stagger toward the living room.

I push myself up on the old, rotting love seat and close my eyes.

* * *

><p>I don't know how long I sleep.<p>

When I finally open my eyes, I feel stiff and worn out.

No one else is in the house with me. I am completely alone.

The strangest thing is that instead of feeling comfort like I used to, I feel scared, afraid, and forgotten.


End file.
